


Twists and Turns

by joan_p



Series: Killing Time, Unwillingly Mine [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Dubcon Cuddling, Dysfunctional Friendship, Dysfunctional Relationships, Explicit Language, I was surprised that's a tag too, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Minor Character Death, Non-Consensual Mind Reading, Other, Politics, Roadtripping on the Dark Side, which means people getting choked and little Jedi being dead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-10
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-04-21 06:13:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 30,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14278626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/joan_p/pseuds/joan_p
Summary: Knights of Ren have to be delivered to Supreme Leader. Things go downhill from there.Prequel to Love and Loyalty





	1. Knights' Errand

**Author's Note:**

> It took me longer that I thought, mostly because I didn't think I'll write it at all. Once again, big thanks to first-disorder, for brainstorming, bad Peavey jokes, and general support <3

"What now?"

Shivara walked up to Kylo. Heat and smoke of the burning school made her eyes water and her throat dry, but there were matters more important than such inconveniences. Some matters needed to be settled now and now the only person who could talk to Kylo was Shivara. Maybe. 

Kylo stood too close to the fire, looking straight into it, as if seeing something there. Maybe he did, Shivara couldn't tell. Mysticism of the Force evade her. Shivara had troubles entering minds of people who were inviting her, knowing Kylo's thoughts when she wasn't welcome was out of question.

"Now we wait. Supreme Leader will send for us."

"For us? He made it pretty clear he's looking for only one apprentice."

"I'm not going anywhere without all of you. Supreme Leader is wise and understands that."

"Whatever you say. We have some time to spare before anyone finds out about that," Shivara gestured to the fire. "It'd be good if you'd say something to others. Shandir's still high on murder, I might have to knock her out."

"Do it if you have to. I need some time alone."

"Okay. Got it. Any clues who are we waiting for, so we won't kill them by accident?"

"Civilian cruiser, one First Order officer in civilian clothes, not with the Force, he's got the coordinates."

"Okay."

It was of no use to talk to Kylo now. Shivara went over to the other side of the burning building, where Mahdia and Arnik were baking mallow paste over the fire. Shandir resolved her murderous rage by screwing Mordal in full view of stars and swamp creatures. Olvan went to the swamps to look for the plants and mushrooms he could get himself and everyone else high on. Things seemed to be under relative control.

Shivara sat down on the relatively dry ground by Mahdia and accepted offered stick with a toasted mallow cube on it. Arnik, farsighted as he was, already brought few jars of swamp juice Olvan brewed earlier. Shivara, grateful for the friends who were more thoughtful than powerful, described the situatuon as well as she could.

 

This mission was supposed to be easy. Of high importance, but easy. Nothing too complicated about picking up Supreme Leader's apprentice and his underlings from Dagobah. The planet wasn't aligned with the Republic, it wasn't even inhabited, except for Skywalker's Jedi Academy. It had some kind of security system, but Solo and his friends were supposed to disable it. 

Hux went through the files. Kylo Ren, or Ben Solo, Republic's finest. He couldn't imagine why Supreme Leader would take a son of not one, but two Rebellion generals, and a nephew of Skywalker as an apprentice - except to hit the New Republic where it hurts. But surely Supreme Leader was wiser than that, or supposed to be. 

Even if his grandfather was Darth Vader, his mother was still Leia Organa. And even if she wasn't a Rebellion champion, only recently disgraced, Darth Vader still betrayed Emperor Palpatine. But Supreme Leader was wise.

The rest of the names was far more anonymous, no half-mythical heritage whatsoever. Solo described them as Knights of Ren, whatever that meant. Corellian woman, Amarath Ananda or Shivara Ren, the second and last human. Twi'lek male, Gelu Pallra or Arnik Ren. Mirialan female, Friskhet Lu'ondo or Mahdia Ren. Devaronian female, Dröna Mulig or Shandir Ren, who, interestingly, was sent to Skywalker's academy instead of a youth detention center in Tikaroo in hopes that Skywalker will manage to make a decent woman out of Force-sensitive juvenile delinquent. Zabrak male, Tuvalie Nymane or Olvan Ren. And Nautolan male, Vangsta Molte or Mordal Ren. By far, Mulig's story was the most engaging. The rest have been just Force-sensitive children sent to Skywalker to learn, children of scientists (Ananda), clerks (Lu'ondo), teachers (Pallra), priests (Molte), and bussiness owners (Nymane). The youngest, Molte, was twenty, the oldest, Ananda and Pallra, were twenty six. They weren't children anymore; if they were trained from birth, as old Jedi were, they'd be Jedi knights by now. But they weren't so they stayed in the academy as Teacher's Assistants of sorts, mostly looking after the youngest students. 

Well. 'Looking after' was a big word. By now any other student was either dead or dying. But promotional materials for Skywalker's school were almost too innocent; Solo was on enough to be called a poster boy, and he was a boy on most of them, looking almost endearing with his enormous ears. Ananda, Pallra and, surprisingly, Mulig, have been on some too. On one holo, teenage-looking Ananda, with a terrible padawan haircut and smile full of braces, was holding Nautolan child by the hand; the child could have been Molte, but it was hard to tell. Mulig was often depicted instructing children on physical training, usually with text implying that Jedi training could diminish aggression and violent tendencies. Apparently it didn't. 

Hux didn't choose this mission; this was far better. He was personally chosen by Supreme Leader Snoke, who was watching his career with great interest, and he could count on being promoted to Admiral just for delivering seven people from Dagobah to Supremacy. He had to work a lot harder for his previous promotions to be a Colonel by now. His hard work was one of the reasons his relations with Grand Marshal Thrawn weren't that good anymore, since the passing of Supreme Leader Sloane. 

Now wasn't the time to think about that. He had a mission to fullfill, as easy as it was. Hux made visual with Dagobah.

 

Skywalker's school was built on one patch of dry land surrounded by swamps, marshes, bogs, and fens. According to promotional material, school complex with dormitories, meditation huts, training grounds, and gardens was a sight when it wasn't burning. 

Academy had its own landing spot, unburnt for now. Hux landed and waited for either Solo of one of his people who should already be warned of his arrival. 

Pallra, whose skin was blue on holos, looked gray in the scarce light of a distant fire. Holos didn't exactly prepare Hux for just how towering he was, certainly taller than Phasma - and Hux was well aware that Twi'leks were usually tall. Hux also wasn't prepared to see Pallra dressed only in his sleepwear pants. 

"Mister Pallra, I pressume?" Hux smiled, trying not to look too creepy. "I'm Colonel Armitage Hux. I was sent by Supreme Leader Snoke to escort his apprentice and his comrades to Supremacy."

"We were told to expect," Twi'lek had a low, booming voice. "I am Pallra, but I do not use that name anymore. First Order has been informed what we are called now. I would suggest not using Kylo Ren's old name. It could have deadly consequences. Please follow me."

Hux did. Pallra led him through marshes, holding turned on deep blue lightsaber to light up the way - clearly not for himself, since he didn't even look straight ahead. So far so good. 

The school was burning alright, making already humid and warm night even warmer, the smell of burning flesh more intense than it was on the landing pad. They were many things Solo's merry band could have been doing. What they were doing - Mulig was on Molte in the shrubs, and Ananda on Lu'ondo near the fire. Hux could have sworn he heard Pallra sigh. No sign of Solo anywhere. 

"Shivara," said Pallra, so low it was more a feeling than a sound. Ananda kissed Lu'ondo on the forehead, got up and walked over to where Hux and Pallra were standing. She wore pyjamas too; a short-sleeved shirt, shorts, and tooka-shaped slippers. Hux tried not to look at the latter too often. "Shivara. Colonel Hux arrived to escort us to Supreme Leader Snoke. Kylo should know."

"That he should. Colonel, huh?" Ananda took a long look at Hux. He didn't need a reminder that he didn't look intimidating or even serious in civilian clothes, no matter how much they resembled his actual uniform. "First Order is either understaffed or you're that good."

"We are not understaffed, Miss Ananda."

"Huh. Okay. Look, I'm a patient woman and all, but Kylo is not - not a woman and not patient, I mean - so don't call him Solo, otherwise we'll have to escort ourselves. I'll go get him. Arnik, please tell the rest we're going."

So far so good. Hux was left alone for a minute - Lu'ondo got up on her own, but she and Pallra had to forcibly separate Mulig and Molte, and then Pallra went to retrieve Nymane from the woods. Lu'ondo got her things first, and then she propositioned Hux with a jar of unspecified booze smelling mostly of ethanol and swamp. It didn't taste half bad, like herbal jet juice, and it smelled just strong enough to kill the stench of burning flesh. As it turned out Lu'ondo was familiar with jet juice as well, as she was a pilot, and often made trips to the closest civilized planets for necessary shopping, often with Solo or Ananda. She regretted she couldn't take any of school shuttles but understood they could be tracked by New Republic. She asked Hux about the ship he arrived in. Overall, a charming young woman, apparently not a very traditional Mirialan since she talked to a man instead of just giving orders, and she didn't wear a headscarf, even while in a long nightgown. So far so good. 

Pallra returned, with Mulig, Molte, Nymane, all carrying bags and container, most of them with the Force. While Lu'ondo wasn't threatening at all, standing just five feet short, Mulig was almost as tall as Hux, more muscled, and hostile to sentient life even while wearing short silky nightgown. Did Skywalker really allowed her near children?, Hux thougt, lying on his back, with a violently pink lightsaber to his neck and a light-red foot on his chest. Above him, Lu'ondo rolled her eyes, still drinking from a jar, like these sort of things just happened, and probably they did. Mulig looked ready to kill and Hux thought about blaster strapped to his thigh just in case, but for now, kept his hands open. Delivering Solo's' merry band alive was the mission. He cleared his throat.

"I'm sure there's been a misunderstanding..."

"The only misunderstanding is..."

"Shandir, whatever it was, leave it," a deep, male voice interrupted them. "If it wasn't anything, leave it all the more."

Mulig took her foot off him and Hux got up. Ananda brought Solo with her and he was the one that spoke. Holos didn't do him justice; his face was in fact unproportional to the point of grotesque, but it did look better moving. Also Hux had no idea why he was thinking about that, or about Solos' naked muscled arms. And his big, expressive eyes. And lips that seemed to be soft to touch. And where was the nearest body of freezing water. 

"Can you be left alone for just one fucking second without adult supervision?" Ananda hissed, looking at Mulig, and then at Lu'ondo, Pallra, Nymane, and Molte. "I swear to fucking..."

"Killing time is over," said Solo, looking at his people. Ananda's litany of curses trailed off. "For now, at least. We do not kill our allies from the First Order, especially not the ones that are to bring us to the Supreme Leader."

"Supreme Leader that may or may not even wants as all," Mulig said, close to growling. "We have no reason to trust a First Order and Snoke's henchman."

"Nobody said anything about trust," Ananda pointed out, through gritted teeth, absolutely straight, no sight of braces anymore. She was standing right behind Solo, hands behind her back. She almost looked like a First Order officer on a shore leave. She wouldn't look out of place in a lieutenant's or captain's uniform. Hux almost thought Snoke planted her, but an agent wouldn't be that easy to spot. 

"Supreme Leader spoke to me," said Solo. "I informed him of our doubts. We are not expected immediately on Supremacy. We were granted certain... leniency. Training will start the minute we will face Supreme Leader, so he has given as a chance to... " Solo looked like he was looking for a good word,. "To party. We're gonna party. Fucking and fighting included, Shandir."

While it was interesting to watch Force-users in their natural habitat and even more to see them internally divided by Supreme Leader, Hux needed to say something. Solo was right, but he had no intention on getting stuck with seven twisted Jedi for months. 

"I have supplies on my ship that would allow eight humanoids to last two weeks. Supreme Leader has granted funds to restock, but I suggest that two weeks would be sensible."

"We don't need money to have a good time, or anything else, since we have the Force," Lu'ondo reminded, smiling without any real joy. 

"Yes, but it would be also sensible to not to attract any attention. This is a covert mission."

"We'll see about that two weeks, Colonel," said Solo. "Everyone, get your things, we're leaving this swamp."

 

Autopilot was enough, but just in case, Kylo and Mahdia were skilled pilots. Technically, Shivara could fly, as it was expected of adult Corellians, but everytime she actually flew anything, she felt herself going prematurely grey. Flying in space wasn't as bad as flying in the atmosphere or in the city, but still. Prematurely grey. 

At least the ship was nice. Shivara didn't care to know whether it was a yacht, a cruiser, a gunship, a shuttle, or a light freighter - Mahdia was way more interested, and it was enough. All Shivara needed to know was that they all fit with their belongings, and that ship had life support, shields, escape pods, and guns. It looked enough like a middle-class civilian ships passing by in Kor Vella. The name, Delirious, also seemed Corellian. In fact, the ship could be Corellian, it would be the least suspicious thing if it was a covert mission. 

At least eight cabins. Huh. As if Supreme Leader Snoke didn't know that they're definitely not going to sleep separately. The Knights, that is. If Colonel Hux decided to join the cuddlepile, Shivara wouldn't mind, aesthetically speaking, and she felt through the Force that Kylo wouldn't either. About that. She had to ask him to turn down his boner, because at this rate, Supreme Leader Snoke in the Unknown Regions should be able to pick it up in the Force.

Of course, all the Knights were able to pick it up. The only one who didn't know anything was the Colonel himself, gleefully Force-deaf. And since no one felt brave enough to direct a thought at Kylo right now, so they all directed them at Shivara. 

_Tell Kylo to stop broadcasting his boner for this ginger twink to the whole fucking Galaxy, _sent Shandir, her thoughts crackling with anger, but then again, her thoughts usually were, even more than Kylo's._ _

__

__

_And human gingers aren't your thing too?_

_That was one time. Seriously though. This shit's starting to upset Madi._

_I can speak for myself, thank you very much,_ Mahdia's thought slipped like a snake. _But yes. I'm not even attracted to men, for crying out loud. Shiv, do something._

'Shiv, do something' was something she heard surprisingly often when a matter at hand revolved around Kylo. It was almost a mantra among the Knights. When will I have enough, she thought to herself, before thinking out open. 

_I'll see what something I can do. In the meantime, stop fucking spamming me, I KNOW._

__Shivara stalked to the cockpit, where Colonel was sitting, as if putting himself as far away from the Knights as possible. At this point she preferred his company, since she was at no risk to hear a sub-concious complain that should have been directed at Kylo. Kylo closed himself off in one of the cabins to connect with Snoke, going idle on Force-bond, and the rest of the Knights tried to figure out what to do with themselves. There was little to do. They were all tired and in the artificial light of the ship it became obvious that their sleepwear was either torn or had blood on it. Shivara was too tired to see the point in dressing up. Maybe because ship was cooler than Dagobah. Maybe. She could always try to raise her body temperature, it went pretty good last time._ _

__"Where are we going first?" Hux asked, when Shivara flopped on a co-pilot seat._ _

__"You heard Kylo. We're going to party," Colonel shot her a questioning look._ _

__"You can party wherever, really. We can't go to Hosnian Prime or Cantonica, for obvious reasons, but there are many places where a mixed company can party in peace. I would suggest lower levels of Coruscant or entirety of Nar Shaddaa..."_ _

__"We're going to Corellia," Shivara said. They already had some resemblance of a plan before the slaughter. It was best to stick to it. "To Coronet City, to be exact."_ _

__"It's a Core World" Hux's confusion was almost funny._ _

__"So is Coruscant. The corest of the worlds, actually."_ _

__"Yes, but it's no longer a capitol... Very well. I imagine you're aware of the risks, miss Ananda."_ _

__Shivara was, they all were, Kylo maybe the most, but it was not the point. She gritted her teeth. Shandir was right, after all. Nothing good came out of First Order or Supreme Leader just yet, only uncertainity, doubts, and vague promises. Except for Kylo. The shining beacon of darkness they were all drawn to like moon moths, despire the warning signs. Because of the warning signs._ _

__"Call me 'miss Ananda' one more fucking time and you'll be picking you fucking teeth from the fucking floor, Colonel."_ _

__"Very well, then," Hux put the course for Corellia in the ship's computer. "I would also suggest holding on to something until we're out of atmosphere."_ _

__Shivara had an answer ready, but she gave up. That was fair. What they were about to do was, in fact, a dangerous idiocy, and Hux would probably took the ship straight to Snoke if he knew. Then she would have to knock him out._ _

__

__Shivara never knew when it was safe to approach Kylo with it came to Snoke. In case of a meltdown, it was a matter of time. But Snoke was worse than a meltdown._ _

__Not that she didn't trust Kylo's judgement; of course she did. She wouldn't be alive right now if she didn't. She wouldn't kill Jacen, Okoro, Mzia, Heilyn, Vaiva, Viorell, and others, if she didn't trust Kylo. No one could doubt that Snoke was an ancient being of immeasurable knowledge, more powerful with the Force than Kylo and Skywalker combined. However. What exactly Snoke was doing with Kylo was... disconcerting. Because Shivara couldn't be sure what it was. Snoke cut Kylo off from Knights when he spoke to him._ _

__Kylo told them everything, honestly, as he did. Snoke wanted him as his apprentice, and only him. It was understandable, Kylo was the most powerful of the Knights, Vader's grandson and all. Kylo didn't want to be Snoke's apprentice without the Knights. Since Kylo told them to go through with the plan, he and Snoke had to come to an understanding. They had to. Kylo wouldn't let Snoke hurt or discard them, he promised as much -_ _

__Doors to the cabin Kylo locked himself in were still closed. Shivara learnt the hard way not to open anything Force-fully in times like these. She knocked, with no results. Then she sat cross-legged on the floor facing the door, and tried to reach out with the Force, with the resulsts of her being thrown back to the wall. So, Snoke was still in Kylo's head. So, Shivara waited. Maybe Colonel won't die before Kylo turns the broadcast off. In the meantime, she tried to raise her body temperature. Could she do something about bruises on her back? Maybe, if she tried hard enough, reached deep into cells..._ _

__Her back almost stopped hurting when the doors opened. Shivara got up and went it. Kylo was still sitting on a generic looking bunk in a generic looking cabin. He looked up at her, looking tired. He had a right to be tired, they all had, turning academy into a grave was physically demanding, but that's how he always looked after speaking to Snoke. Sure, interplanetary contact took a lot, even on someone so strong as Kylo, but surely Snoke, being as powerful as he was, would help keep the connection on his part...?_ _

__Well, at least Kylo was calmer now._ _

__"I felt we jumped to hyperspace. Are we going to Coronet?" asked Kylo, his voice slightly slurry. He cleared his throat._ _

__"Didn't have any other plans, so yeah. I think Colonel might be a problem though."_ _

__"What problem? He'll either stay on board himself or you'll knock him out. Easily solveable problem in my opinion, Shiv, you've dealt with worse."_ _

__"Yes, that part. The other part: you've been broadcasting your fucking boner to the whole galaxy. I get it, he's pretty, but Madi's pissed. Arnik maybe doesn't mind, but Diré's livid."_ _

__"Diré, of all people?"_ _

__"Apparently, she's picky now. Will you do something about it?"_ _

__"Done. No more boner," Kylo got up from the bunk. "When will we get to Corellia?"_ _

__"Now, about seven hours," Shivara looked at her chronometer. Snoke didn't take as much time as usual. "Kylo, did Snoke say anything about, well, your boner which could be known through Force by every Force-sensitive being in this sector?"_ _

__"I think that's your own boner, Shiv. Help yourself if you want to, Supreme Leader said we can."_ _

__"And does Colonel know we can?"_ _

__"I don't know and I don't care," Kylo rubbed his face, then proceeded to take the mattress of the bunk. Shivara grabbed the pillow and the blanket. "I need some fucking sleep."_ _

__Shivara did too. They were about the face the Acolytes. Sleep and breakfast were in order. She followed Kylo back to the center of the ship, where Arnik, Shandir, Mahdia, Mordal and Olvan were busy with role-playing game, with Arnik as a game master. The game didn't exactly flow, but not because Arnik was a bad game master; he wasn't. The fatigue was almost palpable in the Force; the only person, who wasn't dead tired was Colonel, sitting in the cockpit and reading something on a datapad. Kylo threw the matress on the floor._ _

__"We're going to sleep. Go get at least two more mattresses. And... Shiv, how many pillows?"_ _

__"All of them. My back hurts."_ _

__"All of the pillows. And maybe some covers. Colonel, you are most welcome to join us."_ _

__Hux looked up from the datapad, then looked at the mattress on the floor._ _

__"Thank you, I'm not sleepy. I think I'll stay up just in case. The course is set, but..."_ _

__"That wasn't a proposition, Colonel," said Kylo, smiling in a way that reminded Shivara of the burning school. She wasn't alone in that. "I believe Supreme Leader didn't lie to me when he said you're here for us."_ _

__Colonel blanched, but only for a moment. Whether he knew or not that his Supreme Leader whored him out was irrelevant; if a Force-user wants you to do something, you do it, sooner or later. Shivara could almost see the machinations in his mind, and she was never good at reading those. She also felt either amusement or curiosity for how will things go from the other Knights._ _

__"Very well," Hux said, standing up. "Allow me to change."_ _

__When they made their bed, Kylo flopped on it with a thud. They knew their routine. Shivara laid next to Kylo, putting her head on his chest and cuddling Mahdia, who was small enought to fit between them. Arnik laid on the other side of Kylo, Olvan on the other side of Shivara, wearing a nightcap over his horns, careful not to stab her in the tits. Shandir and Mordal waited for the Colonel. Who appeared, dressed in pyjamas that looked just as formal as what he wore before. Kylo patted the space between himself and Arnik, and Arnik moved slightly to fit rather slim Hux. Colonel laid down, tensely, and Kylo embraced him with the other arm, forcing him to lay his head on his chest. If Shivara wanted, she could look him in the eye. She saw Arnik soothinly running his palm up and down Hux's arm. Mordal cuddled behind Arnik. Shandir usually laid on top of Kylo and Arnik, and she did now, adjusting slightly. Shivara made sure she actually set the chronometer and then allowed herself to finally fall asleep. What happened took more of a toll on her than she would like to admit - she didn't even need the gentle, soothing pull of the Force Kylo was emitting._ _

__

__Hux didn't expect to actually sleep. Nor did he expect the Jedi to do so - but they did. All seven was fast asleep while he still waited for them to act on him. He tried to prepare himself mentally, thinking about his promotion, but nothing could prepare him for seven deranged Force-users wanting to cuddle. When he felt foreign influence making him woozy he was almost sure what they are going to do next - but then he heard Ananda's weird half-snore. Deadweight of Solo's arm around him was just this - a deadweight, just like entirety of Mulig. Pallra stopped touching him, which wasn't exactly unpleasant, but still. They were all fucking sleeping._ _

__Hux didn't plan to sleep himself, but whatever they were doing with the Force got to him, and when he opened his eyes again, he had a sour aftertaste in his throat. He ignored that, just as he ignored the feeling of being well-rested, and tried to find a way to get up. Solo was still holding him. While his tits made an excellent pillow, he was much too hot, and so was Mulig, and Pallra, and everyone else in the Jedi heap. He was starting to sweat._ _

__"Mornin'. Or evenin', or whatever," Ananda said somewhere above. Hux looked up. She was standing just above him and Solo, fully dressed in black, sipping caf from non-descript mug that came with the ship. "You haven't lived until you tried my caf."_ _

__"Why are you even up?"_ _

__"I don't sleep much. Need a hand?"_ _

__As much as Hux hated it, he did need a hand. Ananda put the mug on the floor and apparently lifted Mulig, part of Pallra and Solo's arm with the Force - with a noticeable effort. Just when she was done, Hux noticed that sleeping next to Solo's firm form and on his chest had an effect on him. Ananda didn't say anything, but her stupid grin was enough. Hux left for refresher, mortified._ _

__When he was done with the sonic and dressed, he found Ananda in the caboose, puring herself another mug of caf and wolfing down nutrition bars. Since nothing on Delirious was supposed to trace anybody to First Order, Hux bought the rations on random space stations. He wasn't even sure if all were edible for humans - especially the nutrition bar Ananda was eating, allegedly denta bean ice cream flavoured. Anada apparently didn't mind. Hux took reasonably looking pressure-packed gizka sandwich. It's been a while since he had food other than rather bland synthefood rations. Supremacy had a greenhouse, but not everyone was stationed there and shipgrown food wasn't for anybody either, not to mention imported food grown everywhere else. Thrawn didn't manage to turn him into a food snob anyway._ _

__Ananda poured caf for him, without asking, and it was quite good - as good as caf with swamp juice and kessinamon could be. Hux didn't even know he had kessinamon on board. He surely didn't have a habit for drinking caf - tarine tea tasted better, and if he needed a boost, he had stims. But he wouldn't achive anything by antagonizing Ananda - very likely second-in-command after Solo._ _

__"There's this thing on Corellia we're planning to do," said Ananda. The next nutrition bar she took was supposed to be pikatta pie flavoured. Hux's own eating habits were atrocious, but she took it to the next, sugar-loaded level. "We're here to party, but before that, there's some Force-related business we don't want you to be involved with."_ _

__"I have orders from Supreme Leader to bring you in one piece."_ _

__"Banthashit. That one piece is Kylo. Look me in the eyes and tell me otherwise."_ _

__Hux did look Ananda in the eyes, dark enough to look like she was still high on murder. She was angry, or at least angrier than before. And she wasn't wrong. It's not that Snoke ordered Hux to assassinate six Jedi on his own, it would be impossible, but..._ _

__"Solo is a priority, yes. But if you think that I could actually do anything to six Force-users... well, I'm flattered. I believe you all can manage to arrive on Supremacy with your leader."_ _

__"Forget it," Ananda suddenly didn't look angry anymore. "It's pointless. The business, though. You have two options: you'll either stay put here until we come back or I'll sedate you. If you know my name, you must know I have a degree in organic chemistry, but not in medicine. The choice is yours."_ _

__They all had degrees; apparently Skywalker didn't or couldn't keep them from the world. University of Kor Vella prided itself on having a Jedi amongst its alumni, even if she did most of her learning via holonet. Hux didn't have the time to actually read her publicly available thesis, and even if he did, he was no chemist, but Tritt had read it - and it was apparently good. He looked at his mug._ _

__"Oh, come on, there's nothing in the caf, I'm drinking it too. I thought I'll try reasoning first."_ _

__"Thank you for that. Now, can you imagine what happens if Solo gets injured, or worse, killed on your business? He's a priority. I can't show up or even go back to First Order without him. I'm sure you all will be fine, but I have a career to make."_ _

__"I figured out that's the reason why you were sent in the first place. Let's see," Ananda finished her caf and pured herself another mug. "We're still going. There's no changing Kylo's mind when his heritage's involved. If it makes you feel better, Colonel, he's the most powerful Force user present, he has six more Force-user to cover for him, and we're going against people as Force-sensitive as you are."_ _

__Recognizing which battles are not worth fighting and which are already lost was one of the reasons behind Hux being a Colonel in his late twenties. This wasn't even a battle, it was Ananda being more considerate than she had to be. Why? If she wanted to fuck him, she was out of luck. If she didn't want to antagonize anyone from First Order just in case Supreme Leader wasn't as welcoming as Solo said - that was just smart._ _

__"If Solo dies, you're going with me to explain this to Supreme Leader."_ _

__"That's fair. For fuck's sake, stop calling him Solo, you're gonna hurt yourself."_ _

__Rest of the breakfast went by in silence that wasn't that much awkward. Ananda made another jug of caf, and another one, as other Jedi started to wake up, some having their breakfast, some arguing who should go in the sonic first. Solo went first. When he was done and joined the breakfast, Hux got brutally reminded of the state he woke up this morning. Solo's puppy eyes looked even better when he was rested, his hair was fluffy from sonic, and Hux was too old for this shit._ _

__Solo held an actual briefing in the caboose, with his mouth full of spiceloaf sandwich. Hux wasn't there - they didn't want him there. Solo said it was enough for him to know that if they're not back in twelve hours, it's no use to wait further. Well, at least he was done molesting Hux for now._ _

__They were all dressed in black, in clothes that looked like their own, giving them a look of misguided youths going to baka rock concert, except for black scarves covering their faces and lightsabers clipped to their belts. Maybe Hux kept his gaze a little too long on Solo. He could always explain himself it was because of the ridiculous outfit with too many belts, and not because of any other reason._ _

__They landed far away from Coronet City, among famous Corellian jungles, at dusk._ _

__

__It was one thing to approximately know where Acolytes of the Beyond resided through the Force; it was another thing to physically find them. Yet Kylo led them without a doubt. Not one of them was in this particular part of Northwest Wonat Reservation, yet Kylo moved with grace, avoiding branches and vines as this was how the Force worked. Maybe for Skywalkers. Shivara, a native Corellian, a Force-sensitive one, already had mud and plants on her boots and pants, but Kylo didn't._ _

__When people who were not with the Force at all dabbled with the Dark Side, it apparently twisted their brains beyond recognition. Sane people would not live among wonats, with a chance of wild hounds. This is where Acolytes lived. Or what was left of the Acolytes after Republic forces reclaimed both Corellia and every other planet this blasted cult went to. Shivara was too young to remember much, but she remember some things. Acolytes deserved to live in a ancient bunker with 'Vader lives' sprayed red on it, amongst wild beasts. Anyone who tapped into the Dark and fell to the madness instead of controlling it deserved they fate. Anyone who fell to the Light, like Vader himself, deserved their fate._ _

__Vader didn't live. Vader died when he betrayed the Dark in a moment of weakness, caused and exploited by Skywalker. Force, Dark or Light, was nothing but a tool. It should be. They were here because Vader was dead and it was up to his grandson to fix his mistakes._ _

__Kylo didn't bother knocking. Centuries old mechanism behind durasteel doors crumbled under the Force. Nobody was quarding the door and it was dark inside, stale air smelling of mold. Heavy steps of Knights on duracrete floors. Yet the bunker couldn't be abandoned; Shivara didn't trust the feelings that came with the Force, but even she felt the presence of something looming. A certain dread, strangely more satisfying than the uncertain dread she was living with._ _

__Corridor ended in a circular, dark room, presence stronger. It had a source; misshapen and burnt helmet of Darth Vader on an altar. Kylo made a step forward, drawing out his lightsaber._ _

__"Do you really need that, boy?" a woman came out of the shadows, into the blue light of Kylo's sword. She wore a long black robe and a mask no less sinister than Vader's helmet. The mask didn't cover her long, white hair and part of her neck, light-blue or just grey in the blue light. She turned on her own lightsaber, a red one. Momentarily, there was a rainbow: Shivara's orange lightsaber, Arnik's deep blue, Mahdia's yellow, Shandir's pink, Olvan's green, Mordal's teal. The room wasn't dark anymore, and for nothing - the woman was alone. She laughed, an empty sound. She took of her mask, and a chill ran down Shivara's spine. Pantoran woman wasn't old. Middle-aged, at best. Yet she sounded like a wreck._ _

__"Did you came here with your stolen sword just to finish off the last of the Acolytes? All this trouble? I'm going to die anyway."_ _

__"We made those swords," Kylo twook another step forward, taking off the scarf from his face. Pantoran's yellow eyes grew wide._ _

__"Why did Skywalker let his Jedi that far from Dagobah?"_ _

__"There are no more Jedi and Skywalker is dead. We are Knights of Ren. Supreme Leader Snoke sends his regards."_ _

__"You're Snoke's, then" Pantoran smiled, showing all her teeth. "And what does he wants from dead people without the Force? We have nothing that could interest him, he already stole what he wanted."_ _

__"What he wanted, yes," Kylo looked at Vader's helmet. Pantoran's eyes followed._ _

__"And who are you to take all waht we have left, the only proof that Vader's spirit is still alive while his body is gone?"_ _

__"I'm his grandson."_ _

__"Organa's son, then. You have the gall to dress up all in black and come here. I'd be surprised if you could as much as tap into the Darkness," Pantoran whistled. "We're dead, but maybe you will be too."_ _

__More Acolytes appeared from the shadows. The couldn't be felt through the Force - they didn't have it and Vader's helmet, still full of the Dark, drowned out anything else. Shivara looked at Arnik, but he was just as surprised. Next she had to cut through a electropole painted red. Kylo was fighting the Pantoran, but then Shivara got too busy with the fact that she just made one electropole into two heavy batons._ _

__They were more Acolytes than there were Knights, and they were more experienced in combat. However, they didn't have the Force. Even children at the school had the Force. Soon Kylo was taking the lightsaber from the Pantoran's severed hand. Shivara already felt bruises forming on her body, but she was too pumped up to care about that. Kylo inspected the sword closely, ignoring the smell of cauterized wounds and death in the air. They all smelled that enough recently._ _

__"This isn't Vader's sword," he muttered. "It doesn't call to me at all. Arnik, whose sword is it?"_ _

__Arnik gently took the hilt out of Kylo's hands and ran his long, blue fingers over it. It wasn't the first time he looked serene just after he killed._ _

__"A man, with the Force, not necessarily human. A Darksider, but not a Sith. Either way, not powerful enough to leave a lasting impring on an object. The trail isn't very old, so... Darth Sidious had many apprentices and they had their own apprentices, which then had their own apprentices, so it could have been anyone."_ _

__Shivara ran possible names in her head. Yes, anyone. Kylo looked at Vader's helmet, too transfixed to be dissatisfied with the answer._ _

__"At least the helmet's real," Kylo took that thing into his hands. "We have what we came for."_ _

__

__Hux didn't expect them to come back so soon, yet Jedi have returned, looking mostly unscathed, if, once again, murder-high. Solo looked like he didn't sustain any injuries, which was good. He was also holding something that looked like Darth Vader's helmet, burnt and damaged, which was weird. It should have been either blown up with the second Death Star or still on Endor where Vader's body was allegedly cremated. Was it a fake? Or did actual sentient beings look for the blasted thing like it was important? That was the business Ananda was talking about? Did Snoke know about it? Did he sent Solo for it?_ _

__The look that Ananda shot him above Solo's shoulder told Hux that wasn't the time to ask questions._ _

__Solo took the helmet to whichever cabin he claimed as his private, for whatever reasons. He didn't stay there, though. He came out right after, proclaiming that since didn't have a real fight, they should have their fun somewhere else. You slaughtered children, Hux thought. Who the fuck did you 'fight' this time. Not that Hux cared what happened to little Jedi; he only cared with what kind of deranged murderers he was sharing limited living space with. Admittedly, he's had his share of deranged murderers, but Tritt was more than manageable; he was obedient. And he didn't have the Force. Neither had Phasma, and she wasn't deranged at that._ _

__Hux axctually wished he could take Phasma with him. She wouldn't do much about the Force, but at least she looked threatening._ _

__Time to party, then. Hux flew Delirious straight to Coronet City, with Ananda as navigator. She chose the spaceport and talked to the droids with her strongest Corellian accent yet. Spaceport had to have unsupervised dock, since they shouldn't appear on any footage unless it was unavoidable. In normal circumstances, Hux would we worried about theft, but these weren't normal circumstances._ _

__"You're going out in that?" asked Ananda after landing, gesturing to his clothes, as closesly reminding of Colonel's uniform as possible. Behind them Solo and his merry band were somehow improving their appearances. Hux got a glimpse of Solo, Mulig and Lu'ondo braiding each other's hair. Pallra was painting Nymane's horns with nail polish._ _

__"Am I going out now?"_ _

__"Well, yes, since you have to keep an eye on Kylo," Ananda almost smiled. "Nobody will steal this ship, anyway."_ _

__"Then yes, I'm going in those. All my clothes look exactly the same."_ _

__"I'm not even gonna question that. I think you and Shandir are the same height, Colonel. I'm sure she won't mind borrowing, and she has some quality crop tops..."_ _

__"No fucking way, Ren."_ _

__Ananda smiled instead of knocking his teeth out, so this was the way to go. Mulig, indeed wearing a slightly bigger bra instead of a shirt under her jacket, beckoned her. When Solo was done rebraiding her pink hair from multiple braids into three, she took to painting her own and other Jedi faces. She did Solo, utilizing black lipstick, and Lu'ondo, painting over her facial tattoos. Ananda struggled a little when Mulig painted her eyes black and iridescent, and Hux had a little fun watching that, but then Mulig turned her attention on him. She had the Force and liquid purple eyeliner. To add insult to the injury, Nymane, who had little hair himself, claimed that Hux's gelled down hair wouldn't look right in a club - as if he could know that from experience._ _

__Well, at least no one from First Order could feasibly be in Coronet City to witness Hux walking around painted like a whore, hair falling on his eyes, in mostly non-human company. Think about your promotion, Hux reminded himself. After the incident with the eyeliner he almost didn't give the Rens their fake IDs, but he did think about his promotion. Because he thought about his promotion, he took non-descript blaster with him. Jedi couldn't be swayed to leave their lightsabers on board anyway._ _

__Ananda led the way, moving through the crowded streets with only a little more confidence than the rest. Force or not, Hux could tell it's been a long time since they been in the city at night. Not that he had reasons to be confident himself. Supremacy was a capitol, but on-ground capitol, full of non-humans, and bussinesses that may or may not be legitimate couldn't be compared to mostly human capitol compressed on a gigantic ship. Coronet City had nothing of Supremacy sleek, practical elegance. Recycled air was easier to breathe that the one that was heavy, warm, and humid. Going out of Delirious felt like a slap with a wet, warmed up towel._ _

__Ananda claimed to know the way to a good nightclub, and she probably did, but it wasn't a straight line - maybe because she had to remind herself the way, or maybe because she stopped every now and then, insisting that all her companions have to try Corellian street food. Hux was fairly certain both she and Solo were getting a rise when they claimed that endwa on a skewer was not supposed to be chewed, only to slide down the throat. It did actually slide. Not exactly unpleasant, but he understood why Ananda and Solo insisted Hux and other Rens try that, while choosing fried ice cream and nerf hotdog for themselves._ _

__Hux thought about them mostly as a burden, but there were some upsides to babysitting Jedi. When Ananda found the club she was looking for, called Wildhound, they were let in without any fuss and without money. Inside, they didn't have to wait for barkeeper to notice them. They also suddenly had a whole booth, circular and velvet, free, even though club was full. Hux didn't even feel like gloating seeing that more people have been dressed like him than dressed like Solo's merry band. Club wasn't so bad; music was loud and jarring, but the booth was comfortable and Corellian brandy was strong. Jedi mostly left him alone to watch over their drinks, since they took to dancing seriously. Watching Solo dance was an experience, and not exactly unpleasant at that, especially after his sleeveless shirt clung to to him with sweat. The only downside was Ananda, who also didn't dance and instead was smashing herself with various drinks next to Hux. Watching her drink was better then watching her eat. So far Hux's seen her drinking tsiraki, vosh, zoochberry cream, and Starshine Surprise - and she was yet coherent. Another thing that made her similar to a First Order officer on a shore leave._ _

__Maybe he should ask some questions as long as she was coherent. The place was not ideal, but nobody was really paying attention to them._ _

__"Why the helmet?" he asked, trying to be discreet while loud enough for Ananda to hear. She did, since she shrugged._ _

__"It's important for Kylo. Don't question it."_ _

__That seemed to be the rule. Hux looked over in Solo's direction. He was dancing with Mulig and Pallra. Hux didn't know if they were good dancers by Republic standards, just that they were confident ones. Molte was still flirting - or trying to flirt - with a Calamarian, while Lu'ondo and Nymane have dissapeared in club's refreshers with their partners, an Ithorian woman and a Togrutan man._ _

__"Do you have any other businesses planned?"_ _

__"Nope. Excuse me," Hux froze when Ananda put her hand on his thigh, but she only pushed herself up to stand up. No sense of personal space, really. Ananda clumsily almost made her way out of the booth and almost fell down on her face, but Solo appeared from nowhere and caught her, holding her firmly by the arms against his chest._ _

__"Fuck, Shiv, how much did you drink?"_ _

__"A lot. Take these tits away or I'll fall asleep."_ _

__Solo manhandled Ananda in the general direction of the refreshers and watched her go - or shuffle - for a moment. Then he sat next to Hux, much closer than Ananda, and clearly with more intent. Mulig and Pallra followed shortly after, laughing about something, drug-related, grabbing drinks they left and falling on the couch._ _

__"Are you having fun, Colonel?" Solo asked, his breath warm and smelling of spiced ale._ _

__"No. I'm at work." Hux replied. Solo smiled and put his big, too-warm hand on his thigh, far less innoucous than Ananda. And then squeezed, to the point of being painful. Hux sucked air through his teeth. They were in public, for fuck's sake._ _

__"You can have fun at work. Come on now, come dance with me."_ _

__"I'm afraid I'm not much of a dancer-"_ _

__Solo wasn't really asking and Hux went with him to avoid being dragged. He wasn't lying; he only knew absolute basics about dancing, and only the basics of dance that were required of an officer, which wasn't something that was required in a fucking nightclub. Solo didn't seem to mind. Ananda also didn't seem to mind when she returned, looking slightly more sober, taking to dancing herself and also taking another drink._ _

__It ended again on Delirious' floor. Hux could only recognize who touched him by the color, size and shape of hands. Quite fair and fairly big belonged to Solo, smaller, darker and without any moles - to Ananda. Pallra had the biggest hands, light blue, Lu'ondo - the smallest, grass green. Mulig's hands were light red and tattooed, with pointed nails - claws, really - painted black. Nymane's meaty hand had the color of a bruise, purplish brown or brownish purple. Molte had light green, cold hands with webbed fingers. At least Molte had some mercy and kept his cold hand on Hux's forehead._ _

__

__Shivara prided herself on two things. One, she could drink anything and still be coherent, even though she lost the command of her limbs. Two, she would always remember what she did when drunk and what other people did. The second part was always more fun, since she was the one telling people what they did._ _

__Being who she was, she was already washed, dressed, sipping caf, and watching the ship go through hyperspace to Kafrene, when Colonel Hux stumbled out of a cuddlepile on his own and to the cockpit, where he slumped on the pilot's seat._ _

__"Good mornin'. Or evenin', or whatever, time's an illusion," Shivara chimed, knowing just how hangover he had to be. Hux didn't answer right away, just stared at hyperspace. His hair, ruffled earlier by Olvan, and now even more by sleep, looked soft and fluffy, and Shivara wanted to pet at them._ _

__"Where are we going?" he asked, voice a bit tight._ _

__"Biscuit Baron on the Ring of Kafrene. I mean, you insisted we get away from the Core," more accurately, Kylo insisted he didn't want to be on Corellia anymore. Shivara had to understand that. If Hux didn't remember that, he didn't need to know._ _

__"And how long...?"_ _

__"It's been two hours since we left Corellia," Shivara, in fact, didn't slept through these two hours unlike the rest. It was dawning on Coronet, and she usually couldn't sleep if it was dawning. "I thought you need to sleep more after all that."_ _

__"All what?" Hux was almost white on the face, except for smudged eyeliner, and it didn't look like hangover. Shivara almost felt uncomfortable. She didn't even know anything could make her uncomfortable anymore._ _

__"After you agreed to try to outdrink me and you were so out of it Kylo had to physically carry you out," she explained. Usually Kylo carried her, but the situation was different, so Shivara got slung over Shandir's arm. "And then we all had to help you vomit, because you were too drunk to do that properly. And after that you wouldn't let go of Mordal, because, he's, quote, 'nice and cold, like a fish', end of quote. Then Shandir insisted we go to Biscuit Baron, and y'all poor fuckers blacked out."_ _

__Hux looked dumbfounded now and it was a change for the better. Shivara omitted a few things, like a drunken fight started by either Shandir looking for trouble, or by Kylo defending whatever Hux had instead of honour after someone made a comment about gingers. She also omitted Kylo, Mahdia, and Arnik mind-tricking club security and local police. She ommited Hux, already drunk off his ass, drinking cheap whiskey they picked up on their way to the ship, and then ugly crying because of something they couldn't guess with the Force, too wasted for that. She ommited Hux actually clinging to the pile of Knights out of his own volition, and sobbing into their clothes, much to Shandir's disgust. Shivara omitted the last part because nobody else seemed to remember it fully, and there was no point in telling Hux that, if he was a proud man._ _

__She didn't omit a gangrape, though._ _

__"I'm impressed, by the way," Shivara added. "No one has matched me yet. And I'm pretty sure Mordal didn't mind, though you should apologize for calling him a fish when he's an amphibian."_ _

__"I will. I will apologize for my behaviour in general, since it was highly unprofessional, and you deserve better from a representative of First Order..."_ _

__"Cut the crap, Hux, it was fun" Shivara smiled, forgetting that smiling hurt her. Every move hurt her. All from being hangover, being in a bar fight, and still some residues from the fight with the Acolytes, once the adrenaline wore off. "I, for one, am glad that First Order can drink."_ _

__"You seem awfully chipper for someone who drank a liquor store."_ _

__"For the record I do want to die."_ _

__Shivara heard familiar heavy footsteps and then she felt Kylo putting his hand on the backrest of her seat. Kylo put his hands on both backrests and leaned forward. Or didn't lean as much as slumped forward._ _

__"Rise and shine, Your Highness!"_ _

__"Shut your face, Shiv. Biscuit Baron?"_ _

__"How can I tell you if I shut my face? Yeah, Biscuit Baron. We'll get there soon enough."_ _

__"Good. How did you sleep, Colonel?" Kylo slumped more towards Hux, grinning rather madly. He was displaying his muscles, of course. He was starting to stink from all the booze but he decided to preen, of all things. Shivara took a sip of caf not to laugh._ _

__"Very well, thank you," Hux looked anywhere, but on Kylo's chest, which was on his eye level. It was just too funny. "I must apologize for my unprofessional behaviour though."_ _

__"I like you unprofessional."_ _

__"I'm afraid you're out of luck, then."_ _

__Shivara maybe would have told them to get a room, but she didn't want them to actually get a room, not now, not later, when there will be something worth watching. If there would be something worth watching. For now, there was just Kylo putting on a display and Hux refusing to acknowledge it, maybe because Shivara was there, or maybe because Kylo was a knobhead. Well. This could be fun, this could be frustrating, this could be something she could have been sleeping through if given the chance._ _

__Ship's computer announced their arrival on Ring of Kafrene. At least something came to its conclusion._ _

__It was dawning in Coronet, but the trading post on Kafrene was always in the nighttime. Night after night after night of fighting after fighting, and drinking after drinking, could make one hungry, not to mention seven or eight. Whatever unresolved sexual tension there was, bantha wraps with blue sauce, spicy mynock wings, live sandbugs, nerf nuggets, choya fish sticks, vege-steaks, breadroot patties, protato wedges, seaweed salad, tarine tea, blumfruit juice, juicemelon fizzade, bilaberry-flavoured milkshakes, and jogan pie were just better. Colonel seemed to be of the same mind, eating more than she would suspect, judging by his tall but narrow frame._ _

__It was a silly thought, but warm food, rich in calories, eaten with people who were mostly her friends, among banter and jokes, even from Colonel, made Shivara feel a little more secure about their future. Biscuit Baron on Kafrene was full of people going from one place to another, often from one uncertain place to another. That chain restaurant for many was the only stable point. Maybe she was picking that up with the Force. Or maybe it was just her hangover surrendering to fatty foods. Anyway, she didn't want to get up from synthleather bench smushed between Hux and Mahdia, in a spotless, sterile diner, full of sentients thinking and chattering away. Things were good for now._ _

__

__Hux was surprised that he did have fun. Once Ananda told him nothing actually happened - lying or not, but why whould she lie? - he already felt better, hangover aside. Food made him feel better too. He knew that this food was mostly oil, salt, and carbosyrup, but it had more flavour than anything he ate lately, and he never really cared that much for the food quality anyway. Knights of Ren also seemed to be in more agreeable moods. Not only no one was threatening Hux with bodily harm, but they were sharing jokes and food with him, as with each other. Because they were sharing all the food between, with adjustments made for obligatory carnivorous Nymane, and for Pallra and Lu'ondo who didn't eat meat by choice._ _

__He must have got really fucking drunk. He meant to, to maybe put Jedi at ease, if that could be managed, but not that drunk - but if they were more willing to cooperate, then it was worth it. If Jedi being more agreeable meant that Solo felt free to keep his arm on the backrest behind Hux, it was worth it and he had to suffer through that._ _

__Well. Suffer. The more time Hux spend with the Jedi, Solo was becoming more attractive. Not that Hux had excellent taste in men, if Tritt was anything to go by. Thrawn and Canady were different stories, but if Hux could sleep with Tritt, he was in no position to think Solo too ugly. Too young, if anything. But since they seemed to do everything together, doing one of them would mean doing everyone, and Hux just wouldn't be up for that, quite literally._ _

__After their meal, most of the Knights wanted to rest. Kafrene was as good place to stay as anywhere else. Hux was tired too, and he wouldn't actually mind sleeping with the Knights, provided he could sleep unmolested. Once Rens apparently stopped seing him as a threat after his display of weakness, he could admit that Solo was comfortable to sleep on, more comfortable than Tritt ever was. He would also rather die than admit that he actually like the feeling of seven people hugging him at the same time._ _

__Solo, however, had different plans. Just after Ananda asked Hux whether he wanted to choose the spot to sleep on, somewhat expectant, Solo asked him to go with him to the cabin he occupied earlier. Hux let him led him, ignoring wolf whistles of Rens as well as ignoring Vader's burnt helmet in the corner. He had some witty remark ready, but it died on his tonge, when Solo turned around. If he was grinning from time to time before, he was dead serious now. Hux felt blood draining from his face. He knew Solo was dangerous, that was just a fact, but now he looked dangerous too, and Hux was reminded that Solo was not only strong with the Force, but also bigger than him. Not that much taller, but bigger._ _

__"Now, there's no need to be scared," Solo said, with a false gentleness that Hux knew too well, from somewehre else. "I just wanted to talk. That was smart of you, to get so wasted we had to take care of you. Supreme Leader told me you were smart. He told me you had your own agenda too."_ _

__So, Solo saw him through. No big deal. There was not much to see, truly._ _

__"My only agenda is too get promoted. To get promoted, I need to get you safe and sound to Supreme Leader. I fail to see any problems here."_ _

__Solo smiled, but it was not a smile of a dashing scoundrel from before. This was the way Brendol smiled, when he did._ _

__"Going around the words, as I should suspect from the son of Supreme Leader's dead rival, the son who somehow managed to stay alive and have a successful career."_ _

__This was not happening. He was already forgiven for being Rae's son, he's worked for this forgiveness to the bone. Thrawn didn't even protect him, concerned about his own survival and sure that Hux had something to do with his mother's death, that it connected somehow to his quick promotions. Hux didn't went through discovering Rae's body, being one of the suspects cleared by evidence and circumstance, being abandoned by Thrawn, losing his plan of relying on nepotism, having everyone suspect him of killing Rae anyway, having only Tritt and Phasma to help him, just so Solo could throw it in his face. Solo knew nothing of this, nothing of First Order, nothing of actual love and loyalty. Hux could hold his anger, but couldn't stop his fist from tightening._ _

__"This doesn't have anything to do with it."_ _

__"No, of course not, your loyalty lies withing the First Order, and that sad memories that went through your head don't cast any doubt at your loyalty for Supreme Leader at all."_ _

__"How dare you," this was beyond words, truly. "You just killed your master and uncle, and his students, you're swapping the Republic for the First Order, you wouldn't recognize loyalty if it killed you."_ _

__That was the wrong things to say. Solo clenched his jaw, raised his hands and Hux got brutally reminded of Brendol' abuse. Then came lighter things: Thrawn's initial rejection on the 'too young' grounds, captain Canady rejecting him rather violently, his superiors, who were so sure they could make a move and Hux wouldn't say no since Rae was out of the picture, not knowing he had a hitman on a leash -_ _

__"That's sad. I could make you relive every one of them, in a detail. Did you think you could get promoted so quickly without anyone testing you thoroughly?"_ _

__"Test away, then," Hux gritted his teeth and squared his shoulders. If Snoke wanted him to prove his loyalty, he had another thing coming. "I have nothing to hide from Supreme Leader, may his rule be infinite."_ _

__"I don't actually enjoy this, muddling through minds. Mahdia likes this, especially traumas, but she's not as good as me. But there are memories and memories. How about a happy memory, then? Let's check if you even have some."_ _

___He was lying in his bed, awaken by something. Armitage looked up just to see lieutenant Tritt Opan standing over him. His father's junior aide, the one that was doing all the dirty work. The one that killed people when they were inconvenient either to the Shadow Council or just to Brendol._

_Armitage managed to get the knife he kept under his pillow just in case, but Opan disarmed him easily and pressed his wrists to the mattress. It wasn't the first time Armitage feared for his life, but this was new. Opan pinning him to the bed, distant smell of anesthetic in the room -_

_"Shhhh, calm down, I'm not here to hurt you," Opan whispered into his ear with gentle, soothing voice. "I'm going to let you go now. Don't do anything rash."_

_"Why are you here, then, sir?" asked Armitage, when he found his voice again. Careful look around dormitory and the smell told him enough; even if he screamed, none of his roommates would wake up._

_True to his word, Opan let go of his wrists. He sat back and smoothed out the covers. Maybe Armitage imagined this, but maybe lieutenant Opan also looked... nervous? He was never nervous before._

_"No need to call me 'sir' when we're alone, Armitage. You got beat up badly at that sparring," said Tritt, his voice almost tender, far away from his usual, polite and emotionless tone. Armitage remembered. Brendol chose this day to inspect the training grounds, in the exact moment Armitage was losing to a cadet shorter, but heavier than him. Not the first time he was losing to physics, but it was always better when Brendol wasn't watching._

_Tritt was there too, with Brendol, and offered Armitage a handkerchieff to wipe the blood of his face after sparring. Obviously, Brendol didn't like that. Armitage heard a slap in the corridor when they both left. Of course, Brendol took out on Tritt what he couldn't take out on his son, unless he wanted to face Rae's wrath._

_"You're still bruised, and you're too beautiful for that," continued Tritt, his voice like honey. No one ever called Armitage beautiful. "I was thinking on getting you bacta, but if you were all healed up tomorrow, your father would suspect something. So I got you analgesic. May I?"_

_It took Armitage a while to understand what Tritt was asking about: putting analgesic gel on his face himself. He even took off his gloves. Armitage nodded. Tritt's hands were cold, but no one had ever touched Armitage that gently, with such care. Tritt finished with his face, then moved to put gel on his side, hitching up thin sleeping shirt. No one touched Armitage there, in any way, period. No one ever looked that way at him either; with something like longing, but harder. He was too awkward, too ginger and too gangly, and no one wanted to risk Brendol's petty rage or Rae's well-meaning scrutiny..._

_Yet Tritt risked more, he wanted to risk far more, for Armitage. It would only be fair if he was rewarded, and if Armitage got the chance to find out what he's been missing. And to look his father in the face while knowing he fucked his adjutant just the other night. And Tritt brought analgesic, which was nice. They weren't suppose to waste anything on things that could heal on their own. Diminishing dull ache was nice too._

_"Why are you here, then? Except to play the med droid?"_

_Tritt's hands stilled - but only for a moment._

_"I've watcheed you for a long time, Armitage. I think you have... potential. Definitely great future in front of you. I want to be close enough to see it happening, if you'd let me."_

_"I'd let you. You can touch me more, if you want," said Armitage, feeling his ears turning pink. Tritt smiled. It wasn't a pretty sight, but somehow charming. Armitage had no reason to be picky. Better looking men wouldn't even glance at him; Thrawn would only glance at him with either restrained appreciation or mild concern._

_"I really can't, you're sixteen. In two years, maybe, if you want to."_

_Tritt was right; he was twenty one, a junior officer, and if Rae found out, she would court-martial him for sexual misconduct, even if Armitage would insist that it wasn't a misconduct at all. And she would be right. On the other hand, breaking into dormitory and putting cadets to sleep would also had Opan court-martialed. But if he insisted on not fucking a teenager, Armitage could work with that._

_"Kiss me then? No one kissed me yet."_

_"Unimaginable," Tritt bent down to kiss him nevertheless. He tasted clean, like military-issued toothpaste, non-scented, like everything on the ship. Armitage pulled him closer, fabric of the uniform escaping his grasp._

_"Please stay," said Armitage. He looked pointedly at other bunks. "They're not gonna wake up anytime soon anyway. Can you stay?"_

_"For a while, yes," Tritt took off his boots and uniform tunic, and crawled in under the cover. Armitage clung to him immediately. Tritt wasn't that good to hold, objectively, wiry and angular, not an ounce of fat on him, just slim muscles and tendons, but he never held anyone else in his bed before. Tritt's arms closed around Armitage, strong and firm, and Armitage embrace him back, wondering how surreal it felt to have someone's breathing, living chest between his arms, moving and warm -_

_"You need to put me to sleep too," murmured Armitage right into Tritt's clavicle. "I can't be the only one concious in the morning. And we all need to be robbed."_

_"Beautiful and brilliant," Tritt kissed his forehead. "That was the plan."_

_Tritt held Armitage for a while, kissing him, stroking his back and hair, whispering about how singular he found him and where they should meet next, without the need to sedate other cadets. Armitage couldn't stop very stupid grin when he felt rag with anesthetic pressed to his face. Tritt caressed him until he lost consiousness._

"That's your good memory? Cuddling with your father's hitman in a room full of unconcious cadets? I thought I had problems. You got off on it, you sick bastard. You thought about him fucking you when you were unconcious, and got off on it. You knew he wouldn't do that and still got off. No, let's dig deeper."

_Armitage kept to Rae. He was safe with her and she didn't chase him away; better yet, she seemed to keep an eye on him. After they arrived to Eclipse in the Unkown Regions, after Rae took command of it, she let him stay in her quarters, far away from Father. She was yet to hit Armitage or even raise her voice. She actually wanted to keep him around, to the point of having him present when Rae was about to welcome her old friend who finally managed to find and board Eclipse._

_Rae was meeting her friend on Eclipse's bridge. Armitage expected many things: an old Imperial officer, or a younger one, like late Gallius Rax, or a civilian dignitary, or even a shady bounty hunter tho owed Rae a favor. He didn't expect a man in a white Grand Admiral uniform, whose skin was blue and eyes were red, entirely red. He didn't expect Thrawn. Grand Admiral was rumored to be dead for some time. Father always spoked about him with disdain, unlike any other fallen Imperial Officer like Granf Moff Tarkin or Director Krennic - whom Father knew in person._

_"Grand Admiral Sloane," Thrawn smiled, almost. "I thought you were gone. I am glad to know the reports on your death were exaggerated."_

_"I could say the same about you, you old bastard," Rae smiled too, wider. "What happened to you, actually? Rumours are wild."_

_"These are several long stories we need to exchange, my friend. Meanwhile, when did you manage to have a child?"_

_"Oh, that's not how... Well. Might as well. Thrawn, meet Armitage Hux, my soon-to-be junior aide, and right now, also my son. We're not related, mind you._

_"If I knew, I would never insult you by insinuating you had anything to do with Commandant Hux, Rae."_

_Rae and Thrawn talked in Rae's quarters, and as much as Armitage wanted to pay attention to the conversation, he was too overcome with Rae calling him her son, although she didn't have to, as if she actually wanted him to be her child. Hours passed and when Armitage eyes started to close on its own, Rae took him to bedroom. Eclipse was full of Imperial survivors and their families, so even Rae had less space for herself than she should have had - they slept in her double bed._

_"I need to talk to Thrawn some more, but you need sleep, young man," she said, watching him get prepared for bed. "I shouldn't have kept you up so long, but I sometimes forget just how young you are. Comm me if you need anything. Goodnight, Armitage."_

_"Goodnight, mom."_

_Rae was almost leaving, but she turned around hearing that._

_"Ma'am. I meant 'ma'am', ma'am," Armitage felt his pulse quickening. Rae didn't get mad at him so far, but if she did now -_

_But Rae just smiled, gentle and a little sad. She went back to the bedside, sat on the bed, and patted his head - with a glove on, but gently._

_"You can call me 'mom', or by my name, if you want. I'm not gonna get angry at you. I meant it when I said I will protect you from you father, and I couldn't do that without taking custody from him. You are my son, legally, and..."_

_Rae didn't finish, because Armitage launched himself into her arms. He sometimes saw other children doing it with their parents, he tried hugging DDM-38 earlier, but it wasn't the same, and Rae actually embraced him back, and patted his head again._

"Oh, I get it now. These are memories of you actually being wanted for once. That's almost touching."

Solo even didn't dig deep enough to get to the memories Hux considered really good. He could have found the elation Hux felt when he watched his father dissolve in bacta, or a sweet, fleeting feeling of Tritt holding him throughout the night and listening to him, or a memory of some delicious and exhausting night with Thrawn - or just him graciously agreeing to fuck Hux after the second time Hux propositioned him. Or just the pure joy on working on his projects, including Project Sundown, joy that wasn't tainted by human or humanoid interaction. Or happy memories of his promotions. Still, he had no right to see anything in the first place.

"Fuck you, Solo," Hux gritted through his teeth. "These memories are private. They have nothing to do with the mission and my loyalty to the Order, and they not yours to take, you entitled Rebel spawn..."

Hux meant to say more. He didn't because Solo lifted him with the Force, dragged towards himself, gripped by the throat and squeezed. 

"Don't call me that again, if you want to live," Solo said, his voice quiet and cold, while Hux couldn't even grasp at his hand, immobilized with the Force. "Not in your mind too. I will know if you do."

"Fuck you, Ren," Hux managed to get out around the hand around his throat, warm, heavy and solid.

"That's better," Ren let go of him, and Hux stumbled, coughing. "I knew we could come to an understanding, Supreme Leader is wise. I think I've seen enough to judge your loyalty, anyway."

Hux swore he would find a way to keep blasted wizards out of his mind. Not now, though. Now Ren froze him with the Force again and leaned in to whisper in his ear.

"Now that we've settled this, do you want me to do something about that tent in your pants?" Ren didn't wait for an answer, just knelt while fumbling with Hux's belt and put his big mouth to a better use than talking. Not right away though. "You sick, sick bastard. Your mind is so dark, I love it."

"Just get on with it."

"What was it? Me digging in your brain or the choking?"

Ren could find it himself, but if he wanted to hear it, fine. Anything to shut him up. Hux was already red in the face.

"The choking," the easiest answer. It wasn't as if brain-picking and Force-freezing didn't play any part.

"Good. I'll remember that."

Hux locked eyes with Vader's helmet. Not in front of your grandfather, he thought delirously, but that was one thought Ren didn't seem to catch. 

If it would make Solo more manageable, and bring him to the Supreme Leader faster, it was worth it. If it would also get Hux laid with someone more violent than Tritt or Thrawn, it was even better.

 

As much as they wanted to party, they were other things at hand. Kylo decided they needed to have helmets, so they discretly robbed a hardware store to make them. Hux had tools on board, and holonet was helpful. Shivara wasn't a mechanic, but she thought that her helmet came out quite nice, checkered faceplate and all, and it was even functional. In a whim, she painted some of the squares with nail polish. 

Things were good. Kylo talked with Supreme Leader, and they were all awaited in the First Order. Colonel Hux didn't have any orders to interfere with their arrival. He and Kylo started having sex, and while it was sad that Colonel didn't want to have it with anyone else, with maybe exception of Olvan and Mordal, at least Shivara got audio and visuals when she wanted. She felt like she shouldn't be surprised they were mostly hate-fucking. Atmosphere was cleaner and less tense anyway. Not to mention that Colonel chose to sleep in a pile with them almost every night, which made many things better. 

They made a holo, in the meantime. Republic holonews already knew about Jedi Academy massacre. Shivara saw her own name in the list of the bodies that were never found. Kylo paid no mind that Skywalker was on that list too, maybe the body burnt down completely under the rubble, he reasoned. Still, something needed to be done, so, with Snoke's blessing, the Knights made a holo. Doing it on a non-descript ship was a good idea, but it had to be aired once they were in First Order territory, or at least in a neutral one, outside of New Republic's reach. Colonel had a holocamera on board, an old one, and Shandir tweaked it to make the holo even grainier and their voices more distorted. Colonel seemed sceptical, but didn't say enything. Shivara herself felt quite stupid, sitting in her new helmet next to Kylo, who talked about in detail about what they did on Dagobah, without ever saying that they were the seven bodies missing. 

They were still going out on various planets, of course, maybe more careful, more ready to mind-trick witnesses into forgetting them. They continued to party, to brawl, and going sightseeing. But some nights they stayed on board on a planet with a beautiful view, and Kylo was making dinner, Shivara was making drinks, and Olvan was making drugs. Kylo said that although they were all welcome in First Order, his training would make it difficult to see them often, so he was using all the time he could. Colonel kept his distance, except when he wasn't keeping it with Kylo. Shame neither he nor Kylo were spending evenings with the rest of the Knights. Shivara almost got used to the rythmic sounds of them banging each other into the wall of the separate cabin while she and the rest of the Knights watched holos or played games, board ones or role-playing. Or had an orgy. They had to manage, after all. Not one of them was happy about Kylo saying he wanted to spend time with them and then spending it with Colonel, but Shivara and Arnik managed to sooth the underlying anxiety, for the most part. 

For Shivara, anxiety was mostly like the Force: it surrounded her and bound the Galaxy together. She supposed it was in every living thing. Unlike the Force, she had much more of it than Kylo. At the back of her head, there was still doubt about Snoke's intentions, about Hux's intentions. She sensed that other Knights decided to go with it and enjoy the moment before facing Snoke, but she was never a fan of enjoying the moment herself. In every lighthearted one, there was a heavy weight behind her eyes. Shivara ignored it best she could. 

Breaching First Order territory took long enough, but they did it. Since they were there, Colonel took over communication with outpost and patrols. He supplied the Knights with another set of documents. They were all students on vacations. According to the IDs, Shivara herself was writing a doctorate, as Dagmara Lem. Kylo, as Gabor Zajdel, was a history student. Well, he was, he had a bachelor's degree, but if anyone from First Order would ask him, they'd learn a lot about Empire's history, but not the things they'd like to. Mahdia's psychology degree shouldn't provoke any questions at all, but Arnik's philosophy was too close to history. Olvan's botany, Mordal's astronomy, and Shandir's programming were a safe bet too. 

Kylo wanted to see a First Order city, and Hux proposed he would show the Knights a cantina in Yego, on Vardos, one that he was sometimes visiting with his friend. Shivara was surprised both that Hux was visiting cantinas and that he had a friend. Maybe he didn't, maybe the place was just popular among young First Order officers. 

Yego didn't suprised her as much. City made of sky scrapers, plastcrete, permex and permaglass, like many cities on many planets, including Coronet and Kor Vella. Buildings in the various shades of black, grey, white, blue, and purple, unlike Coronet or Kor Vella. Population mostly human, dressed eerily similar, blending in with cityscape, very much unlike Coronet or Kor Vella. Well, good thing they wore black. That is, if the Force itself didn't take care of blending in. Otherwise they'de be fucked.

"What do you mean we can't wear our masks?" asked Kylo. Hux shook his head, rather resigned. 

"Trust me, I'd prefer all of you in masks," Hux said and ignored Shandir's indignant shout. "But it's illegal to cover one's face in First order territories, except for stormtroopers. You're not stormtroopers."

"Surveillance?" Shivara asked, although she had a feeling she answered her own question.

"Of course it's surveillance. Even if it wasn't illegal, you'd draw more attention with masks on than without them."

"I will talk to Supreme Leader. We're wearing this masks when we're in his service."

"I'm not going to stop you. But for now, helmets stay on board."

Part of the reason why we listen to him, except him being right, is that he actually orders around seven Force-users, mused Shivara. That surely takes guts of phrik. Or no survival instinct at all. One way or another, Colonel had his way so much that they actually took effort to look like First Order Citizens. Shivara almost died laughing when she saw Kylo with his hair tied into neat bun.

They were lucky they got to Yego before the season of electrical storms. Night was dark and cloudy, but quite pleasant. Shivara didn't have much interest in history, but Kylo did, so she knew. What did Vardos citizens know? Did they know that climate disruption that left the capitol Kestro uninhabited, was of Palpatine's own making? What did First Order citizens know? Did they know, like Republic citizens knew now, that Vader had a daughter, and his daughter had a son? Did they know about the Dark Side? What did they think of Force-users?

It's not as if Shivara actually could ask a random person this questions, so she kept them to herself. Colonel was leading them through the city surely, apparently taking the shortest route possible, with unmistakeable precision.

 

Hux felt much more at ease in Yego than in Coronet, and not only because he actually knew the city. The colours and the straight lines of skyscrapers reminded him of Supremacy. Makeshift shields that protected Yego from Vardos' climate and almost made the air feel recycled. 

The Rens looked out of place, even more than in Coronet. Cultural shock must have kicked in by now, but surely, they knew what they were getting into. Of they didn't, well, joining the Order was incredibly stupid of them, and showing them a city up close was a good start. Hux told them what to expect, or tried to - after all, a glimpse of Coronet didn't gave him a full idea of how Republicans acted, and neither did the Rens, being Jedi and outcasts. At least they wore black, at least they were covered head to toe. Ananda and Lu'ondo could be trusted to dress fully, but the same couldn't be said about other Rens, especially their leader. But he was dressed too, leaving his ridiculous outfit with too many belts on, the one that would take hours to take off if Ren didn't have the Force... No, Hux didn't trust their Force enough and made sure they wouldn't look to outlandish. He actually borrowed Mulig his black shirt because she didn't have anything that would cover her stomach. He didn't take his best clothes, bought by Thrawn, but good enough to look decent on a night out, and decided to wear all black not to stand out among the Rens. Civilians often war make up, so Mulig could have her ways with Rens, but Hux was now an officer off-duty, so not with him.

He also regretted they couldn't wear the helmets: droid-like faceplates and modulated voices put Hux more at ease than their actual appearances, but the law was the law.

Second Guess Cantina was one of the many places offering craft, overpriced beer, but it was also the one that Thrawn thought of it as decent, and where he took Hux several times, when he wanted to spend the evening in a place less formal than an opera. Second Guess was moderately popular among young First Order officers, but if anyone asked, Hux was on shore leave. 

"Second Guess Cantina. In the First Order. There is a pun in there, I can feel its presence in the Force," Ananda said, taking in the sight of the main entrance, located discreetly at the back of a large department store. 

"Please, do not."

It was a workday, and relatively early evening, which Hux chose on purpose, otherwise finding a table for eight could be difficult, to say the least. But with the early hour they did manage to find a table for eight on the mezzanine. Hux preffered the mezzanine - it had only two tables, one bigger, one smaller, it was mostly hidden from view from the main room, and directly above speakers, so eavesdropping on conversations through the music was difficult. Spiral plasteel stairs were difficult too after more than one beer, but it was worth it. Decorative pipes made it look like a basement, but the whole cantina looked like that, including the basement. 

Hux ordered Talhovian ale, full-bodied, bitter and strong, not surprised that the Rens orderd several glasses of beer that they were drinking communally, including craft version of common Corellian spiced ale, Gizer pale blue, and shtööhb, of all things. No, he wasn't surprised by that. For some reason, after days spent with the Rens, he was still surprised that when he returned to the table after a short visit to the refresher, they put a fucking board game on the table. One of them must have brought it in the backpack. Hux immediately looked at Pallra, who did bring a backpack and was now smiling innocently.

"What the fuck is this?"

"Trite Recreation. You know, a board game," said Lu'ondo, her voice so passive-aggressive it would put Maratelle Hux and protocol droids to shame. "I can't imagine you don't have it in here, it's an Imperial game."

"Actually, I think it's older than Empire," said Nymane. "My nana knows how to play it."

"I know what kind of game it is," Hux said through gritted teeth, staring at circular board, six playing pieces, a die, and plastisynth wedges in six colours. "I'm asking why the fuck did you bring a board game to a cantina."

"For fun, obviosly. Don't tell me you don't play board games for fun, you look the part," Mulig did not look the part, not even in a black button down.

"You should play with us, Colonel," said Molte. Hux still couldn't look him directly in the face. "Teams are allowed, and that way we can have four two-people teams or two four-people..."

There were four teams in the end, Hux paired with Ren, Ananda with Mulig, Pallra with Lu'ondo, and Nymande with Molte. Hux didn't realize when his competitive nature got the best of him and he actually cared that he had a leg up in Nature & Science category - but so did almost everyone else. But he had Ren for History category, and Literature & Arts category, who could be matched by Lu'ondo and Pallra. They all knew more than him about Republic's popular entertaiment, so this battle was lost. 

As the evening went by, Second Guess was getting crowded. Every now and then someone would come up the stairs to see if there is some room left on mezzanine. It wasn't, and most people turned aroung after seeing a boardgame. That was until Hux, feeling rather than hearing footsteps, looked up to see that the person trying to find a table was someone no other than captain Peavey himself, off-duty, in civilian clothes, and with a young woman that was not only younger than his wife, but also younger than his oldest daughter. Since Peavey recognized him too, he couldn't just turn around.

"Good evening, sir. I apologize for interrupting, I will be on my way -"

Unfortunately, Hux have already drank two Talhovian ales and one Thuris stout.

"Peavey, wait. It's always good to see First Order officers spending time off-duty with their children," Hux said, fully knowing that lieutenant Catalina Peavey was stationed on Subjugator, and that she didn't look like the woman accompanying Peavey, taking mostly after her father. 

"I'm not -" the woman started to say something, but Peavey cut her off.

"Unfortunately, this is not the case, but thank you for the suggestion, sir. I wish you and your company a pleasant evening."

The way that Peavey said "company" reminded Hux that he was playing a board game with five non-humans and two Corellians. All seven were looking at Peavey, then at him, then back at Peavey....

"Thank you, Peavey. Tell Mrs. Peavey and your daughters that I send my regards," that would be enough. No need to tell Peavey that he was the reason Empire fell, like Hux did with Moden Canady. No need to remind Peavey that Empire fell, First Order rose, and he was still a captain. 

"Will do, sir. Thank you, sir. Good night, sir, good night, ladies and gentlemen." 

Pallra and Molte actually answered. Peavey and his companion descended downstairs. Hux counted to three, and there it was, shouting of a young woman who didn't know Peavey had a wife and three daughters. 

"Who the fuck that was?" Ren asked. "Also, I have a feeling you don't like him."

"Captain Edrison Peavey of the Finalizer. He worked with my father for some time. You're right, I don't like him. I can assure you that game is more interesting than him."

"Of course it is, we're winning."

They were, kriff knows how. They played until every team had wedges in every colour, and then Rens suggested to get drunk in a cheaper way, they just needed to know where one could buy chocolate ice cream, Trammistan chocolate or such. Hux knew only of the Biscuit Baron (yes, a Biscuit Baron of all things) in the spaceport, and only becasue he was often passing it. They went there, bought eight cups of blue milk ice cream with chocolate (definitely not Trammistan) topping, then sat in a far out corner of spaceport waiting hall, where Ananda pulled a bottle of vweilu-nut flavoured raava out of her backpack. Hux didn't even notice when she bought it. If she bought it. 

He wasn't a fan of sweets, alcoholic or not, but the ice cream with raava were pretty good, even if raava made it melt quicker. It was still to sweet, so he felt like smoking, which he usually avoided among the Knights, doing it either in the cockpit, or outside. He didn't care about it now. He only cared that apparently he left his lighter on Delirious.

"Do any of you has a lighter by any chance...?"

Seven lightsabers ignited instead of an answer. Since they knew better, Hux did ignite his cigarra out of Ren's blue lightsaber.

 

It wasn't enough to sober up and calm down before heading to Supremacy. Hux also insisted they had to get new clothes, otherwise Supreme Leader and Grand Marshal would take it as an offence. Especially Grand Marshal. There was a tailor on space station belonging to First Order, and they apparently already had an appointment. Tailor worked for Internal Security Bureau. Shivara didn't ask anymore questions. It was enought that she was let go pretty quickly, satisfied with the asymmetric coat droids were sewing around her. 

Kylo insisted they would be wearing masks. Said he conctacted Supreme Leader about them. Hux didn't even fight him on this, reasoning that once on Supremacy, they'll be Supreme Leader's special guests. 

Supremacy itself was the biggest ship Shivara ever saw. Granted, see didn't see that many ships altogether, but none was that gigantic. You could fit a city in there. There was, in fact, a city in there, the very capitol of the First Order. Shivara watched it from a viewport, transfixed, when Hux joined her. She almost didn't recognized him, with the hair slicked back with some kind of pomade, and in a teal uniform that made his shoulders look broader. The hat was a bit silly, but it did look military.

Anxiety of uncertain future she was pushing out of her mind, returned, stronger than before. It was it, then. The future was there, she was staring at it, and couldn't exactly made up what it was. Kylo didn't seem nervous or even agitated. He often didn't, and it meant nothing, but this time Shivara was sure that if she had half of the power Kylo had, she'd be calm too, if only for the prospect of being useful.

Delirious landed on Supremacy and they got out, greeted by a group of stormtroopers, led by a stormtrooper in a silver armor. Hux smiled at Silver and informed the Knights that they will be escorted to the throne room. And they did, moving through black, white, grey, and red corridors, absolutely clean, shining, stormtroopers standing guard here and there, officers standing attention and saluting when passed - after they arrived on Supremacy, Colonel's mission wasn't secret anymore. Shivara felt strange, watching men and women older than her apparently both terrified and in awe. They had reasons for their feelings, when it came to Kylo, Vader's grandson, Snoke's apprentice, raw power walking on two legs. The Knights were just surplus. 

At the oppresive, black doors to the throne room waited a man in a white uniform with a cape. Not a human man, blue-skinned and red-eyed. Also very handsome, not a wrinkle on his face, even though his temples were grey. Or bluish white in his case. He was tall, too, and Shivara had a feeling his broad shoulders didn't need padding. 

_Oh no, he's hot,_ Shandir thought. Shivara coulnd't agree more. _Daddy, _thought Mordal and Shivara also couldn't agree more. She wasn't even into older men, for kriff's sake.__

"I am Grand Marshal Thrawn, and it is an honor to welcome you into First Order," said the man, his voice quiet and measured, softer than she would expect. "Supreme Leader awaited your arrival. I hope our escort has been treating you kind."

"He was," Kylo said, his voice made even deeper by the vocoder. "And we are grateful for that. But we also cannot wait to see the Supreme Leader."

"Supreme Leader only wishes to see you, Kylo Ren," before ball of ice dropped to Shivara's stomach, before she sensed the anger and the spike of fear in other Knights, Kylo was almost upon Thrawn, almost touching his face with the helmet. Colonel and Silver reached for their blasters, but Thrawn stopped them with a gesture.

"Supreme Leader promised all of us are welcome, not just me," Kylo almost growled. Thrawn didn't even flinch.

"That is correct. You are all welcome in the First Order," his voice didn't change either. "But you are the only one Supreme Leader wants to see in person. Ladies and gentlemen," Thrawn turned to the rest of Knights "if you'd be so kind to accompany me, I'd like to talk to you about your future assignments, chosen by Supreme Leader according to your abilities which were described to him by Kylo Ren."

 _Kylo, it's alright. We'll go,_ thought Shivara. _He's not saying we'll be executed, he's saying Snoke's an arrogant fuck._

 _This is more than he promised. We'll stay with you, anyway,_ Arnik sent a thought, filled with calmness. Kylo allowed it to get to him. His shoulders relaxed and he stepped down. 

"Very well, then. I apologize for my outburst, Grand Marshal."

"No need to. Admiral Hux," Thrawn turned to Colonel, well, not anymore. "Supreme Leader wants to see you too."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," said Hux, looking genuinly surprised. Thrawn's face moved, in something that could be a mocking smile, but barely there, before it petrified again. He turned his attention on the Knights again, asking them to follow him to his office. 

Before they could do that, they needed to say goodbye just in case. Shivara hugged Kylo, lingering with her helmet pressed to his for a moment. Then she made her decision and also hugged Hux. Hux was surprised again, but not as much as when it turned out that other Knights, even Shandir, wanted to do the same, and did so. Thrawn, for his part, looked slightly amused.


	2. General Insurance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Two, or what exactly Knights of Ren were doing the entire time, how does one get promoted quickly, and what to do about old flames and politics.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, I did it. I'm free now. Once again, thanks to first-disorder for enduring the brainstorming.

Until now, the only First Order officer who has seen Supreme Leader Snoke was Grand Marshal Thrawn himself. According to him, Supreme Leader didn't think anyone else worthy enough. Seeing him was an honour. And right now, Hux had this honour, an honour that didn't befall any other Admiral, or even a General. Supreme Leader was seeing civilian dignitaries as well, even more often, but also according to Thrawn, they had much higher chance of not leaving the throne room alive.

Supreme Leader Snoke wasn't human, he was too tall for that, but his age and the state his body was in made it difficult to guess what species he was. He was sitting on the throne bigger than necessary, surrounded by guards in red plastoid armor, dressed in a golden robe that seemed to excessive. There was a treacherous thought at the back of Hux mind, thought that Rae never had a throne room, only an office, that she wore uniform quite similar to her Grand Admiral one, and that no one could see her just like that, but because she was busy working, not hiding away. He stamped the thought out.

Supreme Leader praised Ren for his killing of Skywalker, disposing of the Jedi that could threaten the First Order before they even could grow into something threatening, and for bringing in Force-users that would aid First Order in conquering the Republic. Hux remembered Ananda trying to fight the sun while high on Relkass cacti extract. Nymane had to get sweetblossom to calm her down. He also remembered Ren and Lu'ondo piloting together and doing a barrel roll with the cruiser.

Surely First Order could do without such aid. 

In the same breath, Supreme Leader said that Ren's training will demand single focus, without such distractions as other Knights, who had their own responsilibities now. If Hux wanted to get rid of the six, this is how he would put it, so he kept quiet. He almost felt sorry for Ren losing his friends, or at least losing contact with them for a long time. All while wondering why exactly he was allowed into the throne room in the first place. Honour was one thing, but there had to be a purpose. 

"There is a purpose of you being here, Admiral," said Snoke, turning to Hux. "Bringing Kylo Ren was crucial to the future of First Order, but this is not the end of your contributions. Your Project Sundown has been deemed worthy enough to divert most of our funds. We will see its completion in a couple of years."

It was better than watching Brendol die. Project Sundown was his own brainchild, and it was received the most enthusiastically by his superiors. 

"Thank you, Supreme Leader. It will not dissapoint."

"Surely it will not. Project Sundown and your ability to work with Force-users make your career promising, Admiral."

Hux beamed with pride. When he left the throne room, he was sure that he never felt better in his life. He was promoted, he had an audience with Supreme Leader, and Ren beginning his training would probably mean that he never had to see him or his friends again, and was free to forget about the whole ordeal.

Time to go back to Absolution, at least until he was summoned, either to Supremacy, or to Project Sundown building site. Time to come back to Tritt. Hux promised him to make him his adjutant as soon as he was able, and such time was now. 

Ren didn't leave him alone all that soon. He went out of the throne room right after Hux and cornered him by the nearest wall away from guards' sight and earshot. He took off his helmet and Hux was surprised to see him grinning madly, and even more surprised to see him looking at Hux with some kind of hunger, the kind he already saw, but not than intensive. Weren't Jedi supposed to be celibate? Aside from him not being a real Jedi. 

"You looked like a dog that was thrown a bone back there," Ren said cornering him impossibly closer, his cruel smile twisting his already crooked face. "Cute too".

"And you look like you want to blow me again," Hux replied, mostly to shut Ren up. It didn't work.

"You know what? Excellent idea. I don't know when we will see each other again."

Ren actually did that. Hux held on to his hair, silky and soft, with one hand, and covered his own mouth with another, wondering when someone will catch them. The risk had some appeal back in the academy, but he was too old for this now. No one caught them though.

"You do realize that if anyone was heading in our direction, I could have turned them around?" Ren asked, after wiping his mouth, smiling like a madman again. Hux wanted to bludgeon him with his own helmet. 

 

Grand Marshal Thrawn turned out to be a pleasant company, even with his face unnervingly unmoving. His politeness didn't lessen the impact; they were being separated. Supreme Leader Snoke wanted to send Arnik, Shandir and Mahdia to Mustafar; he already cleaned it off everything Dark Side-related left either by Sidious or Vader, but they were to set up training grounds for other Force-users recruited by First Order. It made sense on the surface: Shandir was best at fighting with the Force as well as with muscles, Mahdia could slice into memories like a knife, bested only by Kylo, and Arnik felt the whole Galaxy within the Force. If someone could teach someone anything, it was those three. Olvan and Mordal were sent to Dathomir to investigate whatever was left of Nightsisters and their magick. It made sense too, Olvan could feel Force in the ground and in the trees, and Mordal had some success with dead Force-users. Of course, they weren't sent anywhere alone, but with stormtroopers, officers, and Snoke's civilian experts on the history and Darkside. It made sense on the surface, but Shivara didn't like the feeling underlying it. Snoke was separating them first and foremost.

Shivara herself was to stay on Supremacy, and she had a feeling it wouldn't mean seeing Kylo that often. Especially since she was to work with the Chancellor and his office. Huh, 'work with'. She was to stand over them like a shadow, reminding them of the supernatural power wielded by Supreme Leader, who wouldn't stoop so low as to threaten his own employees himself. What did Kylo tell Snoke about her abilities that let to that decision? Using the Force to control her own body and the most precise telekinesis didn't cut it. 

Perhaps there was nowhere else to send her. Well, Shivara would manage. If it meant she had to actually learn how to read people's mind, so be it. 

Meanwhile she had to deal with goodbyes. Goodbyes that were mostly non-verbal, because again, the Knights weren't leaving alone. Snoke didn't allow Kylo a second goodbye, so his absence sat heavy in Shivara stomach. She wore a coat on, yet the hangar seemed too cold, even when the six huddled together.

 _Take care, she thought_ , feeling the thought with everything she could. 

_Take care yourself_ , thought Shandir. _We can't trust the bastard._

 _I'm inclined to agree_ thought Arnik. _Keep an eye on Kylo, will you?_

_As much as I can, yes._

_You could also fuck Blue Daddy over there for me._

_Absolutely fuckin' not, Diré._

Shivara realized, how they must look like to the onlookers, six dark figures standing in the tight circle, embracing each other in said circle. She didn't care about it right now, not when she couldn't possibly know when she will see her friends again. She stayed in the hangar until two ships were out of her sight.

Grand Marshal was there too. It seemed obvious for him to be there, after he went out of his way to thoroughly prepare them for their assignments and explain what and where of the First Order, down to ordering food, but Shivara couldn't help but think he had a hidden agenda. Maybe she would have to find out what exactly did he think about Supreme Leader. 

He went out of his way for that too.  


"I realize that today must have been taxing for you, Emissary," he said, turning to Shivara. "But I was wondering if you would be so kind as to join me for dinner."

What could possibly go wrong?

"I don't see why not, Grand Marshal."

"Do you have any food allergies?"

"Not that I know."

It was good to know what to expect. Although Shivara had serious doubts that Thrawn could be taken as an example of a standard First Order officer. Not exactly because he wasn't human, but because she was almost absolutely sure that not many other officers had so much works of art in their private quarters - and not because they couldn't afford it. He was also the only officer she could smell wearing a cologne. Colonel was wearing something generic, but it ended the moment they were in the First Order territory. No other officer smelled like anything other than clean. 

She was also almost sure no other officer would eat thakitillo for staters, and then Coslet Daintoinal Filet with mecolar briddlings, served with Nabooian emerald wine. Shivara appreciated how many credits she had on a fork, and food tasted good too. Emerald wine was dry, 'dry' being a code for 'sour and bitter', but she was a guest, so she managed. She was mostly drinking to test her abilities anyway, so she took dry wine the same way she took drugs, poisons, and venoms. 

She had to take off her helmet, of course, and so, she didn't feel so self-concious for a long time. Something about Thrawn reminded her she had a wide forehead, weak jaw, and nonexistent lips. Although maybe she shoudn't be ashamed of the forehead; Thrawn had bigger, vertically. She also had proper Corellian falcon nose, so it wasn't as if she was a complete horror. Also, she shouldn't even care whether or not an old man thought anything about her appearance. Or how his shiny white uniform looked next to rather drab tunic and pants she wore under semi-chic coat. 

Anyway, he probably invited her for dinner because he wanted to see what she was. Or how her facial expressions work. He was wasting his time. Shivara wasn't Kylo, she didn't have to hide a face resembling not one, but two Rebellion generals, a face all to lively. She didn't hide her identity or facial expressions, because there was nothing to hide. 

Whatever Thrawn wanted to talk about, he started with art. That would not do. 

"Grand Marshal, I don't know first thing about art. I only know that painting directly behind you looks like enkephalin under a microscope. My opinion on art is that cardinex under a microscope looks prettier. But I don't believe you invited me to talk pretty pictures."

Thrawn's face stayed unmoving. Was it a pokerface, or just a quirk of his species? Did he have to force himself to change facial expressions and the tone of voice, like Shivara did? Did he have to learn to read people because it didn't come naturally? 

"I do not appreciate or respect ignorance of art, Emissary," Thrawn replied, harder to read than anyone else Shivara met. "But your forwardness is a nice change of pace. You might have to get rid off it here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Supreme Leader only stopped looking into my thoughts because there is nothing new for him to see and because he has nothing left to threaten me with. I also mean that in the last couple of years we went through eleven Chancellors, starting with Chancellor Sly Moore. She kept her position and her life the longest. I always respected her as a politician."

Sly Moore. Shivara knew that name. Moore was a historical figure, like Darth Sidious/Palpatine. Like Thrawn himself, supposedly dead after Liberation of Lothal. Maybe his facial expressions were limited but he definitely didn't look deceased. 

"Supreme Leader won't read my mind either, Grand Marshal. No one is powerful enough to do that without at least visual contact, and physical proximity plays a part too."

"That is the least of your concerns. Supreme Leader usually summons civilians when he wants to remove them, from their positions and from this plane of existence, in many creative ways. I will show you holos, if you want. Although I suppose the same is true for military as well; it just takes longer," Thrawn looked Shivara in the eyes, still with the same expression. "Everyone in the Order is replaceable. It is the foundation of life here - "

"It's the foundation of life everywhere."

"Do not interrupt me again, child," well, now at least something flashed in his face, for a fleeting moment. "At least you will fit right in with that mindset. I managed to convince Supreme Leader not to waste one good politician after another, and utilize the Knights of Ren at the same time. Your thesis shows that you are a smart woman, so you must realize Supreme Leader was not thrilled to receive all seven of you."

"I must, yes. I must have also realized you take awfully long to get to the point. My forwardness i s a nice change of pace."

Thrawn maybe smiled, it was hard to tell. 

"The point is: you need to be of use to Supreme Leader to live. If your friends are resourceful people, they will find ways to be useful on their assignments. Your assignment, however, is special. You success will be measeured in how long you can keep a Chancellor, ministers, and other dignitaries alive by reminding them that Supreme Leader is watching. He will send you orders and you will make sure they are followed completely, using the Force, if necessary," Thrawn stopped to take a sip of wine. "Did you talk to the Director of Internal Security Bureau yet?"

"Not yet. I will though."

"Good. She is a smart woman too, you two will come to an understanding, which is crucial. You need allies, since many politicians will not be thrilled to see someone so young at so high position only because you have the Force, while they plotted all their lives."

"Grand Marshal, I need to ask you something," Shivara finished her wine, despire its taste. "What kind of personal stake is there for you? There's obviously something."

If Thrawn was hard to read, maybe he did look pensive right then.

"It is obvious. The glory of the First Order is personal for me. We need stability in the Order, and there are many politicians who don't see that, and look at the chaos as if it was a ladder. As much as I dislike it, due to Supreme Leader's employment policy, First Order's future is now in the hands of the young. It is beyond you to keep this Chancellor alive for much longer because of who he is as a person, but keep the next one. Do not fuck it up, Emissary."

Shivara thought about Yego, a city on a planet ruined by the very power it was loyal to, about surveillance, stormtroopers on the streets and pedestrians always facing forward, never looking around. Absolute order, everything on time, everything clean, no place for aberrations, no place for chaos and haphazard. Was it something she wanted for the whole Galaxy?

Oh yes. Definitely. The thought alone made her feel more alive. 

"Since we have that covered, would you care for a dessert?"

"You mean an actual dessert or sex?" Shivara asked, before she cut herself off. She wasn't that curious how Chiss genitals looked like, but it didn't hurt to ask. Some subtle alusions, including but not limited to flirtations, still eluded her. 

"An actual dessert. Please, do not take it personally, but I had my fair share of people too young for their positions," something again flashed in Thrawn's face. "Nabooian emerald doesn't fit the dessert I have in mind anyway... How do you feel about Merenzane Gold?"

Shivara couldn't afford to be in stores where they sold Merenzane Gold. 

"I'm Corellian, I can drink anything."

"Ah, yes. Corellian jokes. Always a classic, never entertaining. For what it's worth, Corellian drinking culture might have prepared you for First Order."

The dessert Thrawn had in mind was ryshcate. Shivara had ryshcate exactly once: after she defended her thesis. Memories of its taste, accompanied by sugary cloudberry liquor and parental approval haunted her. They approved of her being a scientist more than they approved of her being a Jedi. Kalinda Reavis and Monikas Ananda were proud, of course, everyone would be, they had a Jedi daughter, just like the old days, and all of this without giving her up in infancy, like the old days. But they were scared of her power, mistook it for mental illness - and not the mental illness she actually had - and she was scared too - 

But Thrawn couldn't have possibly known that. He knew she was Corellian, he knew her parents were academics, and he knew ryshcate was expensive. She was a fool for being reminded of things, as this was probably his intention.

After the dessert, Shivara actually wanted to see holos of Supreme Leader desposing of various politicans in various ways. Thrawn obliged. Then she also met Thrawn's pet, L'halau'ur, four-eyed, orange, rather cute lizard, and had a chance to feed her diced brekka beet. 

 

Hux returned to Absolution with Phasma escorting him and rather peacefully, ready to forget all about Knights of Ren, especially about Ren himself. He'd also like very much to forget about seeing Thrawn, but if the Project Sundown was to be completed, and Hux was to be promoted again, they will see each other again, and then again, maybe even more often than they did when they were actually together. There was a price for everything. 

"Are those the Jedi General Hux was talking about, sir?" asked Phasma, when they were out of the shuttle. Absolution was always nearby Supremacy, so trips were never long, but tedious. Hux could understand Phasma's doubt, undetectable for someone not accustomed to vocoder.

"Not exactly, and not because they killed the other Jedi. As far as I know, they were teenagers when they started training, not infants. Our troopers resemble proper Jedi more than the Knights of Ren do."

Phasma didn't ask anymore questions. She wasn't a woman of many words. Sometimes it worried Hux, because if she didn't talk, he couldn't know what she planned - and she had many plans. Too many, maybe. 

"Jedi or not, I'm assuming you got the memo," Hux continued the conversation nevertheless. "One of the Knights, Arnik Ren, will board the Absolution to screen stormtroopers and cadets for Force-sensitivity."

"Yes, I've been informed, sir. May I ask - will this visit be in any way... problematic?"

Hux thought about Ren almost pulling a lightsaber on Thrawn too.

"Not in the slightest. Arnik Ren is probably the least problematic Knight. I expect things to go smoothly."

"Understood, sir."

There was a lot to do about his promotion, but the first thing Hux did was to appoint captain Tritt Opan as his adjutant. Tritt would be his left-hand man no matter what position he held, but it couldn't hurt to make it official. Then came second and third things. By the time cycle ended, Hux headed straight to his quarters, without any need of excuse why Tritt was with him. There were so many reports to listen to, even off-duty...

And, of course, a celebration of his promotion. Hux already had one planned, with officers he knew he should keep in contact with if he wanted his career to accelerate further, but he also wanted to celebrate the promotion with people he actually felt comfortable with - which were Phasma and Tritt. 

Neither of them was much of a talker, but it was alright - Hux could easily talk for three people, and there was much to talk about. Not many people in the First Order had seen Force-users up close, not to mention seeing Supreme Leader (not now, anyway), not many had a chance to see the Republic. Tritt and Phasma didn't talk much, but they still had questions. Mostly about Supreme Leader.

"Golden slippers, you say" Phasma hummed, once she stopped sipping her drink though a straw connected to her helmet. Hux specifically kept various colourful and sweet alcohols just so she could drink something looking like an oil spill. 

"Phasma, your wearing a rather shiny armor."

"Still. Golden slippers."

Corellian brandy tasted different on ship than on Corellia. But it was no cause for concern; it would make sense that exported alcohol was different that the one sold locally. When it came to Corellia, everything was in order as long as it wasn't methanol. 

As much as Hux liked Phasma's company, he also had other plans. But Phasma knew that as well, and she left after her third drink, leaving Hux and Tritt to celebrate on their own. Tritt gave him the warmest welcome yet, and Hux did miss him. It was nice to be taken care of, gently, from time to time. Hux has missed it too, even if he didn't always remember.

"Welcome home, sir," Tritt murmured into Hux's ear, getting him out of shiny new, shiny black Admiral's uniform. He smiled, taking in Hux's reaction. 

Hux was fond of Tritt, he really was. No one else was that close to him. So, he had no idea, why he wasn't thinking about Tritt, very busy with him, but about a certain Force-user. He was treading his fingers through hair cut in a regulation undercut, going prematurely salt-and-pepper, and imagined different hair, black, longer. This was a cause for concern, because there was nothing about Tritt that would remind Hux of Kylo Ren. Tritt couldn't be anything but gentle and being insufferable didn't come naturally to him. 

It did come naturally to Ren. Hux was already preparing himself to get some sleep, when he felt vibrations of the datapad. A text message, sent at this hour, should be important. Reluctancly, he got up to reach for the datapad, and then went back under the covers, beside Tritt, already embracing him back with one arm. 

However, the message wasn't important. It was Ren. Hux could only tell that because of the automatic signature, suddenly glad that Tritt would never read from above his shoulder. 

> Are you up

> I'm not. How did you get my channel?

> Just asked. Turns out I have a clearance. 

Of course, he would. Before Hux typed out a response, there was another message.

> Do you know we're neighbors

> Unfortunately, I do.

> Aw don't be like that

Hux gave up on responding, but Ren did not.

> Anyway let me know when you're on Supremacy

> Will let you know when I'm on Absolution

> Sleep tight gingershit 

> Still thinking about last time

Fucking great. 

> Goodnight, Ren

"Orders?" asked Tritt, his voice softer than usual. Hux put away the datapad.

"Nothing that important."

 

Shivara did plan to talk to the Director of Internal Security Bureau, Gaibnet Risco, even before Thrawn invited her for dinner. Director, stern-looking old woman in white and black uniform, surprised Shivara by offering tea and sweet-sand cookies. Then again, offering food and drinks was the easiest way to get Shivara out of the helmet - as if her bare face would betray anything else than being Corellian. However, if Thrawn, Chancellor, and now Director wanted to play that game, she would play it back. She supposed it was bound to keep happening. 

Another surprise - Director had other tea than bitter tarine that Shivara couldn't stand, but also sweet jeru. Potable tea was nice. It was also nice to talk to someone whose face, while controlled, actually moved, a woman who actually aged, nothing like Thrawn's uncanny smooth face. Also nothing like Chancellor Poldrax's aged face forever twisted in a slimy smile.

Jeru tea was great, still Shivara felt great about drinking two cups od caf before. She didn't sleep well without Kylo and other Knights. She didn't sleep well in general, but Kylo could change that with the Force. Now she either had to learn to force her body into producing melatonin, or take some kind of sedative, stronger than dipill which didn't do shit. Maybe they had something better here. 

Maybe she would ask Director about it later. Now there were more important things. When Shivara didn't sleep and when she couldn't talk to Kylo, she had to spend the time somehow, and she found a way: she read everything publicly available on history of the First Order, about its economy, politics, education system, healthcare, and culture. Then she read things that weren't publicly availaible, but she had access to them. There were still gaps to fill. 

"I already sent you datafiles on Chancellor, ministers, and other dignitaries, Emissary," said Director. "If you have any questions about anything, I am more than happy to answer."

"I have some questions. Mostly about Supreme Leader," if there was anything about Snoke, it was kept off the books. Risco put away her own tea - tarine - and looked at Shivara sharply.

"Grand Marshal told me you are the right choice for this job," she said. "So you must realize that is very easy to see him in person only once. One of the ways to meet Supreme Leader is to inquire too much about him."

"I know. But I can assure you that if you see him yourself, I'll be already dead, disintegrated in... how do you even call it? Grand Marshal didn't tell me."

"Dumb Bitch Disposal Unit." 

"Right. Menacing."

"I'm guessing you looked for information on your own and didn't get it," Risco refilled her own cup and offered to refill Shivara's, but she declined. Jeru tea wasn't bad, but she was a caf person. "Supreme Leader keeps informations about himself to himself, which is strategically sound. We know he's a Force-user. We know he's not human. We know he's rich. If you watched the holos, you know how he looks like, which is not a common knowledge. The lower the rank, the less you know about our Leader. Civillians barely know his name."

"That doesn't sound like good leadership."

"You said it, Emissary. It's very important who said what here," Risco reached for her datapad. "I will send you another datafile. You're welcome in my office anytime, but we will not talk about this piece of data."

"I understand," Shivara did understand. It wasn't hard to understand. "Can I ask you something else entirely, then, Director?"

"Ask away."

"You're the second Director of Internal Security Bureau that First Order had, am I right?"

"I am."

"What happened to Director Ysanne Isard?"

Risco had good control over her face, right now as motionless as Thrawn's. 

"What happened to all of us. Not everyone can withstand as much as Grand Marshal had, hardly anyone of the old guard could compromise to such degree... But that's old, bitter people's talk. Also a warning."

Shivara wondered, how many steps she could take before the warnings stop. How many steps is there to Dumb Bitch Disposal Unit?

She had some questions Risco could answer more or less clearly, questions about Intelligence and particular dignitaries. She opened the latest data file when she was already in her quarters, still shiny new and looking uninhabited, after she ordered her protocol droid, PX20 - of course she had a protocol droid now - not to be disturbed. Also after she took the cushion from the couch and sat on the floor, legs crossed. That was better. 

Special datafile Risco sent her was about another person that should have been already dead. Or, to be more precise, someone who died, but much later than it was universally accepted in Republic. As far as Shivara knew, Rae Sloane was pronounced dead some time after Imperial attack on the first ever Republic Day celebrations in Hannah City, Chandrila. She read about her before, of course, in what was publicly available, she knew Sloane was the first Supreme Leader, but all the information about her and her rule were sparse, as if someone wanted to curb all questions by supplying only the dryest facts possible. 

Risco's datafile was nothing like it. Shivara asked PX20 if it had coctail making in its programming. It did. 

Just what exactly did you get us into?, Shivara thought, when PX20 brought her Green Galaxy cocktail. Well, it wasn't the correct question. There was no other way but First Order. Other Knights surely liked their new jobs, including Kylo. It was just her, being thrown into politics with all the consequences of politics. Politics were unavoidable even in the Order, and so, Shivara would manage, for herself and for Knights. She would make sense of everything, and send her knowledge to the other Knights, as hard as it was through distance. It was hard to sense each other, even harder when Snoke told Kylo that he needs to distance himself from the constant Force-bond with Knights, if he wants to focus on actual training, that the bond has been keeping him weaker than he actually was. 

On the surface, it made sense. Keeping the bond between them took some effort, which was now almost involuntary - they only felt it when they tried to keep the bond between the planets, which was impossible even for Kylo. When Kylo dropped the bond, surely he had more strength to focus on anything else. Shivara herself had more strength to control her body, going past her previous limits in days after the bond was severed. They turned to Dark together to be stronger, for fuck's sake. But it only made sense on the surface. Deeper down, there was a thought, that Snoke was separating them, first and foremost. Maybe the effort to keep the bond would make them even stronger in the long run. But Kylo trusted Snoke and his methods. 

It was hard to explain it to the other Knights through holocalls instead of directly, but Kylo did it. Knights' reactions to broken bond were predictable, but Shandir couldn't strangle him via holo, so he managed. The bond was broken, but maybe it was to their benefit. They were all getting stronger. Kylo trusted Snoke, and if he did, they should too. They weren't harmed, they had new jobs. Shivara felt a doubt, but since nobody could feel that except for her and maybe Kylo, it didn't matter. It wasn't important as long as Kylo wanted to be Snoke's apprentice. 

She stood by his side, as always. She could feel him, but to a limited degree, like any other Force-user, present in the Force, not present in her mind. It hurt. But at least Kylo was still on the same ship; Shivara couldn't imagine how others felt, since she couldn't know it. Afterwards Kylo couldn't stay in her quarters, he had to go back to Snoke. 

"Supreme Leader will give me time to see you all, you'll see," he said, leaving. Shivara had no choice but to believe him. It worked so far. 

 

As Hux suspected, Arnik Ren didn't cause any trouble, quite the opposite. He spent a few cycles on Absolution, going through stormtroopers and cadets in the most discrete way he could manage, which wasn't easy with his height. He agreed with Hux that there was no sense in Force-training someone above thirty years old - if Force-sensitivity didn't manifest by this point on its own, it was a lost cause. 

"Old Jedi used to say the same about children past five," Arnik said in the hangar, when all the Force-sensitives he managed to find, as scarce as they were, prepared to board Malady, cruiser Knight arrived in. "That was, of course, wasteful idiocy. None of us would ever learn anything. Jedi only considered training teenagers when their whole lot was destroyed. We will not make the same mistake."

Hux actually agreed with the old Jedi that training should start as soon as possible, from birth, if possible. But Force-sensitivity was rare enough that maybe it deserved some exceptions. Maybe. After all, the Knights were mostly teenagers when Skywalker took them in. As a result, they turned on him and killed his more loyal students. But he wouldn't argue about that with Arnik, it wasn't worth it. It was enough that he came instead of passive-aggressive Mahdia Ren or aggresive-aggresive Shandir Ren. 

Arnik returned to Mustafar with exactly two stormtroopers in training and one cadet more. Force-sensitivity was indeed, rare. Hux seriously wondered if the three children had a chance to become new Knights of Ren, or if Arnik just didn't want to return empty-handed. But it wasn't that important.

What was more important, and even more annoying: Kylo Ren didn't leave Hux alone. Text messages were easy to ignore, if Hux wanted to ignore them, but unfortunately, he also had to be on Supremacy from time to time. Ren managed to stalk him every time, and every time it ended in one way or another. Fucking Ren was maybe necessary to shorten wandering around Republic territory, but back in the safety of the Order, Hux almost felt guilty. But then, if Tritt could handle his unfortunate affair with Thrawn, he could handle humouring a Force-user who was bound to get bored sooner or later. 

At least that's what Hux thought, until one incident in the throne room. Unfortunately, Ren had access to it even without being summoned, and unfortunately, they had a drink. Or two, or six. And unfortunately, they were both curious about the disintegrator that Supreme Leader for some reason was keeping in his throne room, despite obvious workplace safety violation. 

"Let's try it out," said Ren, stumbling out of a low armchair. They drank in his quarters, since he was being stubborn about keeping his Republic identity hidden. 

"You're fucking joking."

"No. C'mon, I know you can be fun when you want to, you square."

According to Ren, part of his training was trying out mind control and mind reading on prisoners that weren't useful anymore and would be otherwise slotted for execution. Ren took one of those prisoners, an old Haysian man, and dragged him to the throne room. Supreme Leader wasn't there, busy with his own physical therapy, at least according to Ren. Guards in red armor didn't have the Force and Ren got rid of them easily. Nevertheless, Hux almost felt something judging him from an empty throne. 

It took them a while to figure out how to turn on the device, but Hux managed. Ren then threw the man into the disintegrator, blood and viscera hit them both, shredded into mist. It was just a moment, but not a moment Hux could miss. The thought of having something like that in his dispoal...

His blood was racing. He had people killed before, but usually for a good reason, and not for fun. He was rarely that close to the act, too. Usually, if he had blood on his face, it was his own. Change felt good. 

"Stars, the look on your face," Ren said, his own face sprayed with remains. He looked at Hux with something uncomfortably close to admiration. "I felt like there was no Light in you whatsover, somethings so rare as kybers, but this... You liked it, didn't you?"

"You did too."

"Yeah, I did. You're fucked up, nevertheless. Wanna date?"

Nobody ever proposition Hux with dating after they were done killing somebody just for fun, so of course, he agreed. Tritt could handle that. 

Watching somebody else get killed by Dumb Bitch Disposal Unit was fun, exhilarating almost. Being held with the Force very close above it, tips of his hair disintegrating, was not fun at all. Supreme Leader Snoke wasn't pleased with their chosen form of entertaiment, to say the least. At least Ren was hanging above the waiting death beside Hux. At least they didn't die, this time. As much as Supreme Leader disapproved of unauthorized use of the cellular disintegrator, he approved of Ren reaching out to the Dark Side on his own, and approved of Hux accomodating him. Or something along these lines. Ren didn't explain it very clearly and somehow Hux doubted that Supreme Leader of the First Order would play a matchmaker. 

 

"Did you climb the tall blue tree yet?"

Shivara rolled her eyes.

"For the last fucking time: I am not fucking Thrawn. Not now, not ever. Apart from who he is as a person, I like people my age. You're the one into DILFs. Or GILFs. I have no idea how old Thrawn actually is."

Holoprojecting technology improved greatly over the years and Shivara could clearly see Shandir's shit-eating grin from Mahdia's quarters in Fralideja, Mustafar. Until they trained enough to keep the Force-groupchat between parsecs, this had to do. 

"I thought you were balls deep in First Order data, sis."

"Yes, you told us as much," Mahdia was right, Shivara told them everything she found. But they were focusing on the wrong things. Not necessarily on Thrawn's dick - more on the fact that Shivara felt at home in the Order pretty quickly. Shivara couldn't know it for sure, but their voices and facial expressions suggested they weren't pleased about that. Strangely, because the Knights agreed - First Order was ripe with the Dark Side even where there was no Force. There was no better place for them, objectively. 

"I am. There's just no trace of Thrawn's brith date. Maybe he erased it himself," Shivara wouldn't be that surprised, to be honest. "Speaking of tall blue trees, Arnik, how's your search?" As much as she loved Mahdia and Shandir, they tended to be draining. Even after Shivara had grilled every Poldrax's ministers, every moderately important politician and clerk, not accepting any drinks, not showing them her face.

Arnik, projeting from Malady, smiled with a hint of sadness.

"There are many ships beside Supremacy and Absolution. I do think after inspecting all of them, there will be enought students to teach."

Well, that didn't sound too good. 

"I can see you're worried from here, Shiv," Olvan said. Discoloration of the holo projection told Shivara that we was standing in full red sun of Dathomir. 

"I'm always worried."

"We know. Did you see Ky-" before Mordal finished his question, Shandir provided the answer instead.

"Of course she didn't, Kylo now spends time either with the Supreme Old Fuck or with Admiral Gingershit."

"Kylo will be seeing us soon. Jealous much, Diré?" 

"Not at all. We all did as Kylo and found ourselves pretty officers. Not Admirals, mind you, because normal Admirals are old fucks."

Shivara looked around the Knights and no one contradicted Shandir, not even Arnik, who shrugged, when she raised her eyebrow at him.

"Look, Shivara, I may not have sex, but bunks on Malady do need warming. Lieutenant Namex is very warm and understanding."

"Can we even do that?"

"You were studying First Order and didn't study that?" asked Olvan. "We're civilian contractors. Fraternization is not our problem."

"I suppose. I had more important things to study."

"Study this, they're so sexually repressed and touch-starved it's hilarious," if Shivara thought Mahdia was better than that, Mahdia was quick to correct her. "Have some quality bad memories too."

They already knew that Shivara didn't find herself an officer, or whatever. They shouldn't be surprised, really. The snake pit of a government was not a place to look for a lover. Unlike other Knights, Shivara had this weird thing going on where she liked to like the person she was screwing. Not trust, of course not, she didn't trust anyone except the Knights, but some mutual liking would be ideal. World was already dangerous and endangering oneself by sleeping with a weasel like Admiral Hux was just stupid. 

But then again, soldiers usually weren't as much of snakes as politicians, Shivara wasn't military, and lieutenant Karabela Irvicto, member of Thrawn's numerous staff, was a charming and smart young woman. That is, if Shivara was stupid enough to fuck Thrawn's subordinate. Or maybe she would be stupid enough, once she figured out what the fuck Thrawn actually wanted from her. 

The underlying feeling of worry was too much for her. After the Knights finished talking, she did what she shouldn't have, and went straight to Kylo's quarters, considering the probability of him not opening the door. He didn't many times already. Snoke's orders. 

He did, though. Shivara committed a high treason against the Order in her mind - Kylo looked exhausted, with bags under his eyes bigger than hers, paler than he actually was, maybe slightly slimmer than she remembered. If Snoke could see into her mind without visual contact, she would be already red mist. 

"Shiv. What are you doing here, I'm not to be distracted..." Kylo trailed off, head tilted to the side, eyes empty - and Shivara was never good at reading eyes - as if listening to something. Someone. Something. "Actually, neverming, come in."

There weren't frobidden from customizing their living quarters. They didn't have that much time, sure, but Shivara for example managed to get rid of the standard bed and get a futon. Thrawn also got her a decorative vase as a homewarming and wiretapped gift which she kept. Kylo didn't do anything like that. He only put Vader's helmet on a pedestal. Each time Shivara looked at it, she felt a presence that shouldn't have been there. 

Speaking of wiretapping and presences that shouldn't have been there.

"Is Supreme Leader like the Force itself? With you, always?" 

"Yes. It helps with the training. Sorry I can't be with you in the Force, but you know, it already helped you all with the training," Kylo let Shivara in. "Help yourself to the conservator, but I don't think I have anything sweet."

He didn't. Before Shivara came in, Kylo was making himself a protein shake. He made her one too.

"What are you training right now?"

"I will tell you about everything i know when we all meet in person. Supreme Leader allowed as much."

"I'm worried about you now."

"You're worried about anything, always," Kylo tilted his head to the side again. Then he summoned his lightsaber with the Force. "Nevermind, I can show you. Check this out."

Kylo powered up the lightsaber and Shivara nearly dropped her shake. It was red. Red, and it had a crossguard now, all three parts less smooth than a usual lightsaber, as if they were less stable -

"Did you... did you use the crystal from the sword we found?"

"What? No. Shandir took it. No, Shiv, I bled my own crystal. Supreme Leader taught me that and I can teach you all," Kylo actually smiled and the heavey weight in Shivara's stomach eased up a little. Kylo's sword looked less stable, but it looked right. Kylo was never stable, that was his strength and his claim for the Dark Side. "It cracked, but it still works. Better yet, I have an idea, how to use the crossguard..."

"I'm good with my sword. It serves its purpose and I like orange," It was always orange, which worried Skywalker, even though he didn't tell her that outright. But it did, if only for a moment, before Skywalker told her that since they weren't traditional Jedi, the swords will be different as well. For all his reservations, old fool enouraged Kylo to be friends with them. "But I'm glad you're getting what you wanted. Speaking of orange and getting what you wanted -"

Kylo looked at her, sharply, and Shivara felt something new. His minds, probbing at hers, but from the outside, not from within the seven. 

"What the fu - "

"Sorry, part of the training. You came here to tell me about Hux? About things you found in..."

"In First Order Archives, yes," Shivara didn't actually mind the probbing, but fuck, she could have used a warning. "I came here to tell you he's even shadier than we thought. Look in my mind again and look for the track of promotions. Look for the random deaths that couldn't possibly be traced to Admiral, and then look at Supreme Leader Rae Sloane's." 

Truth be told, Shivara sometimes thought that Thrawn was setting her up against Hux, giving her his own access to the archives and all. Why would he do that, she didn't know. The residue for being Sloane's Grand Marshal? Possibly. Maybe he was manipulating her. But she didn't trust Hux anyway, didn't trust Thrawn either, surely didn't trust Snoke, and there was no reason not to tell Kylo everything she knew. Even if she tought there was something fishy about Hux being suspected of causing Sloane's death. If he was responsible, shouldn't he have a undisputable alibi?

Why did it even matter? First Order was the political embodiment of the Dark Side. Politicians got murdered, and who and why were only important to understand the situation. Of course, Shivara thought that Hux might have turn on Kylo as well, but Kylo would manage. He was the one who plunged into the Dark, no reason to worry about him. Hardly believeable that Thrawn was worried about that. What was she even doing here? If Force-mental isolation was beneficial to Kylo's training -

"I know this. In Fact, Supreme Leader thinks Hux is so full of the Dark it would help my training too."

"It's very convienient that he encourages you to draw Darkness from his underling, but cuts you from us. Aren't we full of Dark too?" 

That was it then. She was still worried about Snoke separating them for a reason she couldn't fathom. It was better than jealousy, but still a weakness. They were all getting stronger. Snoke couldn't be trusted, but his methods had resulsts already. 

"You are. Especially you, Shiv. You are Dark in a very similar way. It's this thing, " Kylo looked at Shivara sharply again. "I envy you both. I envy Shandir. You were lucky enough to barely have any Light in you from the beginning. But I have to rid myself of the Light's residue, other Knights have to do it too, and if we have to separated for that, so be it. And you're wasting your Darkness on doubts. Don't question Supreme Leader again. I need you alive to lead the Knights when I'm training."

"I understand. Anything you say."

"I mean it, Shiv," Kylo clicked his cup to Shivara's, careful not to touch her gloved hands with his bare hands, careful not to recreate the bond even by accident. It stung. "Whatever Snoke requires of me, it can and will stop me from leading you. You're next. Repeat our conversation to others if you have to. Questioning Supreme Leader's methods ends now."

If Shivara thought that seeing Kylo would put her more at ease, she was dead wrong. 

"Right now, the only thing I'm questioning is that you can sleep with someone who can't be trusted not to slit your throat."

"This is why your sex life is boring, Shiv."

 

The core of project Sundown was the core, the core of a planet, but the planet chosen for the weapon building site was large enough to be more than just a weapon. A proper military base was being built as well, with prospects of it being the biggest base First Order had at all. At this point, nothing was officially certain, but Hux had good sources - and he could count on being a commander of that base. He was already supervising the construction, and the sight of it was worth being planetside. As if it wasn't enough, Supreme Leader wanted updates on the construction from him, not from Grand Marshal.

Who, of course, was always present, standing somehow both like a shadow and a statue, face unmoving and voice unwavering, in a blindingly white uniform too clearly reminding Hux of the uniform Rae wore. Usually, he had enough decency to politely ignore Hux, unless it was necessary to do otherwise. He wasn't that considerate now. 

Thrawn never made a secret out of the fact that he wasn't in favour of Project Sundown, and not even out of spite. He was more invested in TIE fighters improvement since Empire days, and his projects were then dismissed in favour of Krennic's Death Star; he told Hux as much himself. Hux wasn't working on Sundown out of spite either - and not only because he genuinely thought that Thrawn improved TIE fighters enough under Rae's rule. None of Hux's other projects attracted as much attention and support as Sundown - so Thrawn could eat his words about 'Death Star 2.0'. 

"There is no reason why you should not consider yourself a genius engineer, Admiral," Thrawn said, when they were leaving the throne room. If there was a wall, Hux would walk into it. Thrawn didn't praise him ever since... well, Rae was still alive the last time. So, of course, there was a stinger. "Even if Project Sundown is the repetition of old Imperial mistakes, the very thing that Supreme Leader Sloane was meaning to avoid."

Thrawn was right to a degree. Only to a degree. And, of course, he could say whatever he wanted since current Supreme Leader had no one to replace him with. Yet.

"Decision to build Sundown wasn't made by me, sir."

"No, of course not. That was just an observation. You must realize by now that you are getting closer to making that kind of decisions each day," for an untrained eye, Thrawn's contempt was almost invisbile. Hux didn't have an untrained eye. "I should hope you remember the very foundations on which First Order was built. You were there, after all."

That was all Hux wanted from his career. Well, not literally all, but he had it in mind. But if Thrawn chose not to believe him as a rule, he wasn't going to try to convince him.

"Of course, sir."

"Dismissed, Admiral."

There was a time when speaking with Thrawn didn't make Hux simmering with rage, There was also a time Sundown wouldn't be built at all. You have to take your victories where you can. And right now, Hux had some to take; with his promotion came opportunity. There was a list of every higher-up, military or civilian, responsible for Rae's death in any way, also for casting a suspision on Hux. Some of them died already, either because they angered Snoke too much, or because they were too old, or because Thrawn was a vengeful man too. Those that were still alive - Hux could hardly touch them, even with someone as skilled as Tritt or Phasma at his side. But he managed to get promoted ahead of his time, to make himself important for the Order, and one of the perks was being more important that once crucial vermin. Their days were numbered now. Chancellor Poldrax's days too.

Before Hux returned to Absolution, Kylo Ren requested a meeting, as usual. As usual, Hux agreed. Ren was experimenting with domesticity now for some reason and was adamant about making them dinners, horrified by Hux's eating habits. Hux already knew Ren was a good cook, but it backfired the first time, when he prepared Arkanisian dishes, mostly seaweed. Everything on Arkanis was made from seaweed. Hux couldn't stand Arkanisian seaweed and he was glad it was gone from his life. Ren was pissed, but he prepared Corellian cuisine the next time, actual food, rather tasty. This time he was preparing Hosnian. 

If Hux was surprised about Ren not only knowing how to cook, but also wanting to do it when it wasn't necessary, Ren was surprised by another thing entirely. He had a business to attend on Absolution once, and dropped by to Hux. Seeing Hux's collection of skulls first made him shut up for a moment, then made him admit that Hux wasn't as boring as he thought, and then made him promise that he will bring new skulls, if allowed. Hux considered allowing him. The whole thing started as Tritt's idea, he brought the first skull, sincerity and morbidity of the gesture touched something that Hux had instead of a heart. Tritt stood by his side, loyal as ever, and it almost felt wrong to let someone else take the skulls.

 

Shivara knew Kylo. She knew he was impulsive and violent, and also that it brought him closer to the Dark Side. There were many paths to the Dark Side. It's not like she didn't see him throwing stuff around before, by Force or by hand. She's been already screamed at, saw others being screamed at, usually intervened. There were many physical fights involved. 

There was a fight just not long ago, during Kylo's latest leave to reunite with the Knights. He and Shandir were at each other's throats in a flash, over some minor thing. Shivara and Olvan had to separate them. There was more blood than usual, but that was just Dark Side working, Shandir got stronger too. Shivara was stronger too and she tried to use her new abilities to heal up her friends - without much success. Cellular growth that worked on her, almost gave Shandir and Kylo tumors. Further reading of medical textbooks was required. 

There was no reason why she would feel a small, but sharp pang of fear, when she saw Kylo destroying some part of equipment with his lightsaber. The word spread quickly enough on Supremacy, and now some unfortunate lieutenant that had the idea to get Shivara, a more level-headed Ren on this ship, was now laying unconcious on the floor after being held in mid-air and almost choked to death.

There was this thing: Kylo never went his his lightsaber after inanimate objects before. He never choked anyone before too, except in a fight, but he was always meaning to learn the Vader's old trick. Less of a surprise. Still creepy. Surely going further to the Dark Side meant more of seizing and directing anger, less of letting it loose on everything in sight...

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Shivara hissed. Kylo looked up at her, slowly. She felt familiar pull of a Force, but not soothing, tangible one, going for her throat. Using her own old trick, she wedged her weaker, but sharper Force in between his, dispelling it. "What the actual fuck, did you really think you could try this with me?".

Silence fell in the corridor for a while, except for a piece of slashed equipment falling down with a loud thud. That, and Shivara's own blood rushing in her ears, amplified by the helmet. She was better than this. She slowed her heart with breathing and adrenaline flow with the Force. Worried, yes, not frightened.

"Well?" Shivara stepped over lieutenant Pulson to face Kylo up close. Since she was average height and he was taller than average, it didn't look too intimidating on her part. 

"Skywalker is still alive," Kylo said, as if it would explain anything. "Supreme Leader found his presence in the Force. He's weak and in hiding but he's still alive."

That was problematic and Shivara already saw herself heading to Dumb Bitch Disposal Unit. Except, it wasn't really her fault. She repeatedly asked everyone whether someone was left alive before she cooked up flammables and explosives out of kitchen supplies and cleaning agents. 

"Kylo, you had one job," there was more she meant to say, but not in public, even in a secluded corner of the public. So, instead Shivara commed the medbay about Pulson, dodging a part of equipment Kylo threw at her for that comment. Then she tried to send Kylo a thought, about when she had time to talk in private. Since he wasn't letting her in, she had to open her mouth. 

"We need tot talk, and more than two of us. Meet me in my quarters just after the alpha shift? I should be free by then." Because I actually have a job, and I should meet with Thrawn right about fucking now, Shivara thought, loud enough for any Force-user to pick up, if they wanted to. Stars, Thrawn surely knew about Skywalker already. He was going to be insufferable. 

"No," Kylo was wearing his mask, still Shivara was sure he wasn't looking at her. "Failure to kill Skywalker means I can't go after him until I get stronger, and I must do it before he starts to teach another Jedi. I will focus solely on my training now. I don't know when Supreme Leader will let me see all of you. I failed and there are consequences."

"For the maintenance crew?" if Shivara wanted to stop herself, she would, but she was irritated enough. "Did you forget we changed the sides? We can't destroy our own equipment and attack our own men, Your Highness." _No wonder high brass and politicians don't trust us. Get a fucking grip, Kylo. We changed the sides. No way back. It's been too long._

For a moment, Shivara was actually scared that Kylo's Force will return and she won't be able to stop him that time; but the air stopped crackling with his Force, as if powered down. He turned off his lightsaber too.

"Getting rid of the Light and fighting it is tedious and it would be worse, were Supreme Leader not guide me," Kylo said. "Giving in to the emotions that drive the Dark will accelerate the process. Side effects are of no consequences."

That made sense, on a surface. And Shivara was already late. She left Kylo to his own devices and headed to Thrawn. Of course, he knew about Skywalker and had to let her know it. He was also writing his autobiography and drinking, as he was usually doing for the last year. Shivara came over to discuss Minister of Defence, General Ureus, Thrawn's own puppet who felt too secure in his position, as if he was Thrawn himself, and by 'discuss' she meant that Thrawn will either set him straight or place him before a firing squad. Thrawn knew about that too. Shivara was still honestly impressed that a man who drank before every personal audience with Snoke and drank on the meetings knew about everything and already had a plan.

The worst of all, Thrawn wanted to read excerpts from his autobiography out loud. Shivara would object, if only she wasn't late. Good thing he shared when it came to alcohol. After all, she was better off that one of Thrawn's adjutants whose only job was editing this thing, including the juicy bits written in great detail. After one too many Merenzane Gold, Shivara asked Thrawn to send Shandir a signed copy of his work. Then at least someone would read it. 

 

Sundown passed its initial tests with flying colours - watching it destroy planets was morbidly satisfying, even if those planets were never inhabited, not even by microbes. Soon it would have its proper name - Starkiller. Sooner Hux was promoted again, to a General. That was even more satisfying. Brendol already had grey hair and ruined liver when he became a General. Not that he was a General for long, anyway.

Opan helped Hux into his new uniform, quite similar to Admiral's, but coming with a really stylish greatcoat. Their eyes met when Opan fastened overly complicated collar. Hux never unsterstood what was great about having taller lovers, resenting even those few inches Ren and Thrawn had over him. Opan was an inch or so shorter and Hux could look into his hazel eyes, watching him intensely and dutifully, without a hint of jealousy. More people should be like Opan. 

Ren wasn't visiting; after it became obvious he didn't manage to kill Skywalker, his training under Supreme Leader became more intense. It didn't feel that bad; as good in bed as Ren was, he was also grating, tiring, and didn't show appropiate enthusiasm when faced with Hux's blossoming career. Unlike Opan. Hux also didn't sleep so well knowing he could have been on Dagobah the exact moment Skywalker was still there, unconcious or not. 

But the last Jedi wasn't his concern. He was Ren's. Ren took a lightning to his face, Hux got a promotion, because he actually could do his job and everything on Sundown went according to plan. Well, Hux took a lightning to his face too, for not checking Rens' story - if Skywalker was still alive, who else could be? as if Hux could do anything about any Force-user, Skywalker aside - but he also got promoted. Ren's been bitter about it, but if he wasn't as immature as he seemed, he would deal with it. 

"How do I look?" Hux asked, having some notion. All First Order uniforms were cut in a similar fashion. 

"Excellent, as always, sir."

Opan really didn't need to call him that, especially when they were alone, but he insisted on it himself. If it wasn't for him, Hux wouldn't be a General that soon, maybe wouldn't be alive for so long. Sure, Hux had other people to do his dirty work for him, but Tritt was his first and foremost, staying by his side no matter what for over a decade now, without any ulterior motives. Hux couldn't say anything remotely similar about Phasma. 

"Now, you don't have to flatter me. Do I look like I dressed up? I heard someone say that about me when I was only a major, is that still the case?"

Opan was a stone-faced liar, but he was also only honest with Hux.

"You do look younger than you are, sir."

"That's a diplomatic way to say it. Well, there's nothing I can do about it, growing a beard is against regulation. Those old pricks have to deal with me looking like I dressed up in my father's clothes."

Hux already knew he told too much, but he could do that with Tritt. 

"You look nothing like him, Armitage."

"Thank you," Opan was honest with him, and usually Hux was honest with him in return. There was one time, involving Brendol's death, when he couldn't be lest he wanted to put Tritt in danger. Now, he could be. "Do you resent me? For taking another lovers when I have you?" Hux added, when Opan looked up at him sharply.

"No, no, sir. I couldn't. Even if I wanted to - I can't give you everything you want. I'm glad you found those who can. Besides - I get to keep my place. That's not the case for everyone."

Opan was partially right. Hux entertained the idea that his arrangement with Ren could be a permament one, but it might as well end any time, depending on both his training and his volatile emotions. And without a doubt, Opan would still stay with Hux. Tritt was also right about not being able to give Hux everything he wanted, he was far too gentle. Violent Ren and Thrawn, who, while not violent, had a lot of ideas involving rope, were both better suited for this. 

"You're right. I shouldn't have doubted you," if Opan wanted to answer, loud meowing interrupted him. Hux didn't get himself a cat before he was an Admiral, but he didn't regret getting one now. Milicent already proved herself to be stealthiest creature on Absolution. Mouse droids had no chance at all. Hux picked her up and she purred, glad that his attention was finally on her. "Does Millicent have food and water?"

"She does, I've checked."

"So, she clearly wants attention. There you go, you ginger minx."

"There is another matter to discuss, sir," said Opan, quietly, when Hux busied himself with petting Millicent while trying to avoid getting her fur on a new uniform. "A matter of the highest importance."

Well, yes, Thrawn.

"I won't do anything without Supreme Leader's order, more likely indirect than direct," Hux replied, feeling something in his stomach. He couldn't exactly tell what it was. He had no doubts about what had to be done, and had reasons to do so, so what was gripping his insides? "And as much as I value your skills, I want to do it myself. It's personal. Also, in this particular case, less suspicious."

"Of course, sir."

Hux could see that Opan looked worried, inevitably more worried for him than for the task that might be at hand should Snoke decide so. But Opan was always worried for him. 

 

Thrawn was right; it was beyond anyone's capability to stop Poldrax from getting himself killed. One could think that a being as rich and greedy as Snoke would not let a defraudation lightly, no matter how little was defrauded in comparison to the rest of his fortune. Poldrax didn't think so. So, he wouldn't think anymore.

That is, if Shivara was to execute him. She was fond of decapitation, it was both dramatic and effective. But it wasn't her job; she did execute some people, since Snoke didn't want to bother himself with it anymore, but they weren't as important as the Chancellor. Chancellor was Kylo's. If Shivara were ever to fuck up, she'd be Kylo's too. Same with Thrawn. Director Risco would probably be Shivara's job, but she wasn't sure. Shivara read that rouge stormtroopers were decapitated too and she felt something akin to satisfaction.

Execution of the Chancellor was, of course, public. And since Kylo tended to be more dramatic than functional, he cut Poldrax in half. Those halves were now laying on polished, shiny black floor of the Supremacy's public hall. Kylo left abruptly, not bothering with anything more, not stopping to even look at Shivara. She wasn't the only one being ignored; on the other side of the hall, she saw Admiral - no, General - Hux. When Kylo left, Hux said something to silver-armored stormtrooper nearby. Shivara knew her name now. Captain Phasma, a captain in name only, since she was the actual director of stromtrooper training program - especially now that Hux was busy overseeing Sundown construction. Ranking system was a mess. Many of Thrawn's staff were captains and they couldn't even dream of the influence Phasma had. 

Hux and Phasma left too, so Shivara turned to Thrawn, who was watching the execution with the same excitement that he was watching anything else. As much as Shivara disliked his personality, she was quite fond of his stone face and even learnt to read the microexpressions he actually had. She handed him her datapad with Risco's newest file displayed. 

"Do you know anything else about our new Chancellor, Grand Marshal?"

Thrawn eyed the datapad, not taking it from Shivara.

"I know she is far too young for that position. But since it became a tradition of sorts lately... Let us meet her, then."

Shivara didn't even feel like commenting anymore. If she wasn't wearing her mask, she would rise an eyebrow. Thrawn read her silence correctly anyway, being Master Strategist and all. Even if most of the information about him being a Master Strategist came from his autobiography.

"At this point you must realize what Supreme Leader is doing by replacing experienced Imperials with too young, impessionable people, Emissary."

"I do. I'm just not bitter about it."

Weird thought - after the death of the former Chancellor and before the appointment of another, Shivara was technically in charge of the civilian government, even if Poldrax's deputy did all the work. She was hoping Carise Sindian would be officially appointed fast. She was also hoping Sindian wouldn't make so fatal mistake so soon.

They were to meet her in Thrawn's quarters. It was an excellent place to meet - Thrawn was the only person allowed not to have his guest monitored. There was no security footage of his visitors. Shivara wasn't sure whether it was an advantage, or a way to get himself killed. Or a subtle encouragement to kill Thrawn in his sleep, either sincere or an excuse to for Thrawn to fight someone. Knowing him, it could be all at once.

Carise Sindian was indeed young, around Shivara's age, young an quite attractive, with golden skin, jet-black hair and dark eyes, dressed like any other First Order politician, in a black dress designed to look both large, impractical, and sharp like an uniform at once, with silver and platinium jewelry. It would be easy to think of her as Chancellor Decoration, but she wouldn't be here if she wasn't vicious. Arkanis joined First Order not so long ago, and even if Sindian was an agent before that, it was a long way to the Chancellor's office. 

She was certainly better than Shivara at recognizing art that Thrawn placed in his quarters. But many people were better. Thrawn, a man of culture, would not talk anything sober, so he opened toniray wine (ironic), and served candied jellyfish to go with it. Toniray was better than dry emerald, but Thrawn didn't have to flaunt his Alderaanian wine. Merenzane Gold would be just fine. Shivara knew that Sindian had a personal grudge against General Leia Organa, but toniray was just excessive. She had half a mind to ask him for Lothalian currant wine for herself, but decided it was petty even for her standards. 

"I do realize Arkanisian seawine would suit better," he said. "But unfortunately, I cannot digest Arkanisian seaweed, any kind of them. Please do not take it personally, Chancellor."

"I wouldn't," Sindian smiled, in a way suggesting she was smiling a lot and it didn't mean anything every time. "Thank you for your hospitality, Grand Marshal, in this quite grim day...

Sindian lost her train of thought when Shivara took off her helmet to drink toniray. Until now, Sindian wasn't important enough to see her face. It was obvious that both those who weren't and those who were started various rumors. It woudl be funny to know which rumor Sindian believed. 

"I apologize for staring," Sindian said quickly, still staring. "There is a lot of speculation how Knights of Ren look, or whether or not they're human, especially you and Kylo Ren. I'm sure you're aware, Emissary."

Shivara was aware. She was also having the time of her life with this. Of course, it wasn't so simple - it would be understandable if civilian officials didn't know they could just ask Hux. Even if they did know he knew, maybe the identity of the Knights was a secret. Kylo's was, after all. She also definitely knew why anyone wasn't asking her directly. Nevertheless, Shivara found it funny. 

"I am. How do you feel with the knowledge now?" she asked, hating that her voice was nowhere near as deep as Kylo's, Arnik's, or Mahdia's. Making it hoarse was the least she could do. 

"I feel that Force-users are dangerous no matter what species they are, and even if they look like handsome human women."

Usually, when Shivara blushed, she was wearing a helmet. When she wasn't wearing one, her skin was dark enough to hide blushes pretty well. Unless one had an infra-red vision, like that old fucker Thrawn, who was now smiling discretely. Shivara knew him long enough to know it was his equivalent of dying from laughter. 

"Then you are correct, Chancellor," Shivara took a sip of toniray to regain composure. It was bad. Sindian was attractive, and was her age, and wasn't her subordinate. Shivara focused and clamped the valve on her hormones. Well, there was no valve, just glands and organs working, but the imagery helped. Time to close facial blood vessels as well. "But the Knights of Ren aren't dangerous to anybody working for the glory of the First Order."

Sindian surely heard about Kylo destroying things and choking people. Those rumour spread like sexually transmitted diseases. Shivara took a candied jellyfish and chewed on it. 

"Of course."

"It is good that you brought up Knights of Ren, Chancellor," said Thrawn. Noticing Shivara's nearly empty glass, he refilled it. "They are one of the many things we will want to talk about with you. In fact, we can start with them..."

 

The order was given, finally. The order and a promise. 

Hux could be satisfied with being a General in such a young age - maybe he should have been. But why stop now? Even if he could refuse Supreme Leader, which he couldn't, why would he?

Thrawn, being who he was, already knew Hux was coming, and why. That was another reason to do this personally. That was also probably the only reason why Thrawn let him in. 

"I brought the seawine," Hux said, after being met with Thraw's unwavering gaze, holding out the bottle like a peace offering that it wasn't. "I know you wanted to try it, now you don't have to bother with the consequences."

Hux learnt how to read Thrawn long ago. There was no hate or disgust on his face, but some kind of resignation. Resignation was somehow worse than almost open scorn Thrawn had for Hux before. 

"You seem to sincerely believe this is a kind gesture, which is disturbing. I appreciate it nevertheless. Sit down."

"How did you plan to kill me?" asked Thrawn, putting two glasses on the table. "Did you poison the wine and took the antidote? Is the poison species-specific?"

"I wouldn't tamper with the wine you didn't get to try yet," Hux said, feeling slightly wounded. He didn't share Thrawn's habit of eating and drinking only the finest, but he was well aware of it. "I brought you an affide crystal."

"You brought me poison the Rebels used on themselves?"

"It's quick and painless. I have other poisons, but they're not as considerate. I assumed you wouldn't want to die in a way as unsightly as Brendol did."

"Nobody sane would. Affide is fine. I have seen it work often enough," Thrawn poured out the wine, then told Hux to wait and went to his bedroom. He came back with a holodisc which he put on the table before Hux. "Your holos. I do not think you would want ISB to have this."

"How do I know they're all here?"

"Because blackmailing you, or letting anyone else do this, was beneath me. After all, you trusted me when I took these holos, no matter what happened later," Thrawn took a sip of his wine. "This is quite good. Too sweet for me personally, but still a good wine. If you are planning to wait until I die to take my rank cylinders and get to the rest of the holos, forget about it. I have already sent them to the subjects that are still alive."

"Very well then. What about L'halau'ur?"

"Director Risco will take care of her."

Hux drank his wine too. It was too sweet for him as well. He put affide crystal in a waterproof packaging on the table. 

"Whenever you're ready, but I have to see it through."

"Of course," Thrawn took the crystal gently and twirled it in his long, blue fingers. "Not the first time you would watch a poison taking effect. I did not tell you what happened after Lothal, did I?"

"You only told Rae. She didn't tell anyone else. We were all guessing and you both seemed to enjoy it."

"Right," Thrawn almost smiled. "Jedi Ezra Bridger used the Force and purrgils to throw Chimaera into hyperspace away from Lothal, with me, Bridger, and crew still on board. Bridger was outnembered, but it did not mean much after purrgils threw us on the other side of the Galaxy, far into what you call Unknown Regions, further than what Chiss call the Unknown Regions. Any morale crew still had disappeared. I barely managed to convince them not to kill Bridger, as living Jedi are somewhat useful as opposed to dead Jedi."

Hux didn't know where Thrawn was going with this. Records of the Lothal Rebellion mentioned someone named Bridger, someone too young to be an actual Jedi, but he dissapeared along with Thrawn, and unlike Thrawn, he never resurfaced. Wherever Thrawn was going with this, it was enough that he talked to Hux at all. 

"These were few hard years. We were lost in a foreign territory among peoples who didn't speak Basic, Cheunh, Minnisiat or Sy Bisti, having only a Jedi as our translator. We were short on fuel and food, and cut off from any information about Empire. But after few years, we reached Chiss territory. Ascendancy allowed us in, Bridger left us, reasoning he was no longer necessary. I haven't heard from him or about him ever since."

"By the time we reached Csilla, it became obvious that Imperial star destroyer was not that welcome. I was allowed to go where I pleased, but my men were confined to Chimaera. It was an arrest, even if they were treated with respect and supplied with everything necessary. I concacted Admiral Ar'alani, and she told me that after Empire fell, Ascendancy lost its interest. She had worse news for me than that."

Thrawn paused to drink more seawine. 

"There was a human man that I loved, Eli Vanto. I sent him as an ambassador to the Ascendancy years before. Ar'alani informed me that he was assassinated when it became obvious that Empire will not crush the Rebellion. Ascendancy was not interested in alliance with the Republic. I was given a chance to retire on Csilla, but Chimaera's crew were to stay on board until someone decided what to do with them. With the help of Ar'alani and my family, I managed to negotiate release of Chimaera and its crew with the promise that we will never appear in Chiss territory again. We escaped to Unknown Regions. There I received a message from Eclipse and you know the rest of the story. You were there."

Hux didn't know what to say. It didn't occur to him that Thrawn could have any feelings other than pride. Or that sending his lover to his death would have any effect on him. 

"I joined Rae in her efforts because I had nowhere else to go. After her death, I still had nowhere else to go, and Snoke knew that. I did not tell you that just because I could not write about it in my book, and not only because it was a good way to stop you from talking for a while," Thrawn continued. "Even if you are here to kill me, I want you to know just how much First Order and its continued existance means to me. Snoke himself is a poison good at driving allies apart and he needs to be withstood until First Order has a better Supreme Leader."

Thrawn was about to die, still, it was rich, coming from him. 

"You would know all driving allies apart, wouldn't you?"

Thrawn looked at Hux slightly surprised, which surprised Hux in return, but then his face turned into a mask again.

"I am about to part from this world, yet you are still trying to convince me you did not have anything to do with Rae's death?"

"Well, it is your last chance," Hux said, keeping his voice levelled. It was only to make Thrawn realize he was wrong for once in his life. It didn't mean anything else, not anymore. Right. "You have nothing left to lose, after all."

"Even if I could believe you, it is quite late. I have seen what you are capable of and how badly you wanted promotions, and Snoke's convinction of your innocence does not put you in a good light," Thrawn paused. "Maybe, if I did not assume your guilt from the start, we could have done so much more together, but it does not matter now. Let the sleeping hound lie."

Hux rembered begging Rae to step down from her postion, to retire to First Order-controlled planet, so Snoke won't have a reason to dispose of her. She refused. Hux knew Thrawn was doing the same, with similar effect. Let the sleeping hound lie, indeed.

"Very well. If it's any consolation, First Order and Rae's vision are as dear to me as they were to you."

"I should hope so. I should also hope you can actually control unhinged Force-user you took as your lover," Thrawn looked slightly amused at Hux's lack of surprise. "If not, thankfully, we have other Force-users. And it was rude of me - congratulations on your engagement."

"Thank you."

"You two are made for each other," Thrawn emptied his glass and refused, when Hux offered to refill it. "Cheers."

Thrawn swallowed the crystal. 

Thrawn was telling the truth, there was no more compromising material in his quarters. Of sexual nature, that is. His diaries and autobiography were for the major part worthless, but there were also registers and ledgers that caught Hux's attention enough to copy them. 

 

Thrawn's funeral was sadder than Shivara thought it would be. Apparently, Grand Marshal was quite popular among staff, and not only amont young lieutenants and captains looking for a way to get a promotion. Thrawn's staff members were, of course, devastated by the loss, some of them more or less sincerely. Irvicto was sincere, and Shivara had half a mind to console her. In her quarters, after a glass or two of something stronger, repeatedly. 

When it came to Shivara herself, she had little love for Thrawn, but still felt remotely sorry for the old bastard, watching him being spaced out of Supremacy. He was found dead in his quarters, and ISB ruled his death a suicide. Risco told her that no other ruling was possible - which meant that Snoke wanted him dead. Shivara wondered why now, until she found out that Snoke appointed Hux as Acting Grand Marshal. Acting, not an actual Grand Marshal. Someone got screwed along with Thrawn. 

Of course, Hux was present at the funeral too. Shivara wondered, if she will have to work with him closely, since Starkiller was practicaly finished, both as a weapon and as a military base. She also wondered, when Snoke will deem that Risco needs a replacement. Or Shivara herself. 

She was the only one representing Knights of Ren. Kylo was busy with his training, as usual. Snoke cut him off from other Knight regularly and often now. Truth be told, Shivara couldn't remember the last time Kylo talked with all of them, but maybe she was too busy -

_At this point, we can safely assume that Snoke deceives us in some manner_ , Mahdia said, watching the funeral with Shivara. They were practicing interplanetary Force-bond, and if all of them focused, it worked. It worked better when Snoke wasn't cutting Kylo off. Arnik and Mahdia were all about spiritual side of the Force, but they were nowhere near that strong. 

_Maybe. I don't know. I can see Kylo getting stronger, even if I don't feel him that often. He's mind-probing prisoners on regular basis now._

_It's good to know. However, I had some disturbing visions._

_Force-visions can't be trusted, it's Force 101._

_Arnik and Mordal had them too_ , and Shivara felt the confirmation that two men sent. She would have to ask them to describe the visions in details, with possible interpretation. Preferably via text, because that amount of information given through inter planetary Force-bond could feasibly fry her brain. Also, later. Force-visions still couldn't be trusted and Shivara was glad she never had one. 

Of course, she had her doubts about Kylo's training. For example, Kylo kept a diet so strict he attached herself to her mind only because she was eating a meringue on a meeting with Sindian. Sindian was quick to figure out that alcohol and sweets were the best way to appeal to Shivara, and Shivara hated herself for that. However, she was proud of herself for every time she did not end up in bed with Sindian. However, after few unsuccessful attempts, Sindian gave up on sucking up to Shivara and treated her rather coldly, almost as passive-aggressive as Mahdia on a bad day - but only in private. Bitch. Unfortunately, Sindian was a capable politician, so Shivara already knew she's have to tolerate her far longer than she did with Poldrax. Well, at least that was better for the First Order.

_We'll talk about this later_ , Shivara decided, thoughts going back to Kylo. Politics took too much of her time. She sent a suggestion of a goodbye, received by others. They were tired too, and agreed. Before dispelling the bond, Shivara sent a request for text messages. Before the bond was dispelled, Shandir once again told Shivara that she could have fucked Thrawn while he was still alive, and Shivara once again told her to go fuck herself with a lightsaber. 

Shivara had another meeting ahead, so she grabbed a caf for herself, in which she poured an obscene amount of carbosyrup in. 

This meeting was not tedious, which was not necessarily a good thing. First of all, Skywalker wasn't found, but Supreme Leader announced the pursue of him a priority. Second of all, Kylo was tasked with finding and killing him. Snoke decided that his training can be put on hold for this moment. He was to travel on Hux' flagship, Finalizer. Along with Hux, who was leading the onslaught on the rising Resistance, which was looking for Skywalker too. None of the Knights were chosen to accompany Kylo on his mission.

Shivara locked the muscles in her hand not to crush the innocent mug. In a flash, her anger bypassed her self-control, and she felt it in the Force, and felt the anger shared by other Knights. 

It never occured to her that fury will be the first thing to open her to the Force more deeply. 

 

Acting Grand Marshal. Acting. That one word burnt itself deep into Hux's brain. As if he wasn't good enough for a proper title, despite everything he did, and on Snoke's orders. If Hux was as unhinged as Ren, someone would be choking right now, but thinking who exactly would count as treason. 

There was also another thing - Ren on his flagship. HIS flagship. On one hand, Ren, with his sense of entitelement, would still give orders to the crew, even if he and Hux weren't offically equals, which they were. On the other hand, it still infuriated Hux. Ren could and should take charge when the task at hand involved the Force and Force-users, but only then. 

At least Starkiller was battle-ready. That was some consolation. 

Acting as Grand Marshal meant several things: more duties, more paperwork, more enemies, and more staff. More staff took care of more paperwork. More enemies was another matter entirely. Older officers who remembered the Empire - and who should have died with dignity when it fell - loathed him before, but they loathed him even more after Thrawn's death. Of course, they also suspected him of being responsible. At least this time he actually did it. If said officers became too troublesome, there was always Opan and cabinet full of poisons, along with unexpected allergens and unfortunate accidents. Opan even took an apprentice just in case, cadet Lusica Stynnix, slightly older than Opan was when he started his assassin training, but just as promising. 

Hux didn't get everything he wanted, but maybe for now it was enough. He already ranked higher than other Generals. Maybe using Starkiller as an actual weapon, against Republic, after seeing what it can do to the enemy - maybe then he would be promoted. One step closer to Supreme Leader at a time. At least he could do his job from Finalizer from wherever Ren's mission took him.

Working wasn't a problem; the problem was that they were working together. Hux enjoyed his relationship with Ren much more when it was mostly short-distance. Ren was impossible to work with, far worse than he was those few years ago - more violent, more unreasonable, more unhinged. He spoke in a controlled manner just to slash something with a lightsaber when Skywalker evaded his grasp again - or after reporting to Snoke. Ren also demanded more support from Hux himself, even though anything related to the Force wasn't his job by default. Furthermore, he was accusing Hux of sabotaging him - strangely enough, after talking with Snoke. 

Ren was also careless about their relationship. For Hux, it was obvious that it should stay private. It wasn't fraternization, but still was not very professional. Ren didn't have such concerns. Lately, he hardly concerned himself with anything that wasn't his pursue of Skywalker. 

Pursuit of Lor San Tekka brought them to Pillio, where captain Hask and Jinata Security had a prisoner of supposedly great importance. Hux watched the planet from a view port, sceptical. For once, Pillio wasn't even inhabited by sentients, not to mention it was already in First Order territory, ever expanding. What Skywalker or his acquaintances would be doing there? Well, if it was anything less than useful, Hask would answer before Ren. 

They just finished discussing it when Ren dropped the bomb on the bridge. 

"I will come back as soon as possible, pumpkin."

Silence fell on the Finalizer's bridge, broken only by the sounds of captain Peavey choking on his tea. Ren probably didn't even notice death glare that captain Opan sent him, but Hux's own murder glare should be enough. The rest of the crew became overly interested in their consoles. 

Ren headed off to Pillio. Hux made sure that when he comes back, they will have separate quarters. Then he checked on Opan only to discover that his adjutant already deleted those few second off from the holo records. 

Ren came back only with the information that they should head to Bayora. He knew everything else by the time he looked at Hux. 

Working together suddenly became a lot harder.


End file.
